Delta Warfare
by Halo-Modern Warfare 2
Summary: In 2552, Chimera and later the Covenant joinined forces to destory humanity for their religious purpose. With human national superpowers however, they can hold off and finish the fight but how long? Its up to the ODST and the Enforcer Corp. Comments pls
1. Prologue FNG

The room was almost dark, with windows shining the holographic table and the rest. One man, known as Sergeant Major Kojo "Buck" Agu, looked down on the table`s screen surface watch the news video and left other articles on the top right.

A female soldier entered the room, and the Buck stood up. Like Buck, they both wore digital-grey military uniforms.

Captain Veronica "Dare" was the lead of the Orbit Drop Shock Troopers "Eagle Team". She stood a bit shorter than Buck.

**Captain Veronica "Dare":** Buck, any news here?

Buck turned the video around into perfect view position for Captain Dare. He watched military forces from different nations, fighting the Chimera in every human colony.

Chimerans were reptilian, alien species who were hungry for domination over the Ori-arm according to their gods. It was unknown about which religion the Chimerans told them that invading humanity was just.

**Sergeant Major "Buck":** Well good news first; Atlantic, EU, and the others are pushing off the Chimera very well. The Chimera didn't find the location of Earth either. We're winning a lot of fights and took back our colonies.

**Captain Dare:** Just like old times.

The United States of Atlantic was their home nation comprising North America and many colonies. Unlike United States of America, Atlantic was now home to diverse-cultural population, like Canada was. It's a mixed with Canadian background, but with high-advance powerful military.

**Buck:** Planet Avro is still standing. Every country on that planet is still fighting off the Chimeran forces from ground to space.

**Captain Dare:** Bad news?

**Buck:** Chimera found a new buddy, known as the Covenant: the super-powered alliance of different groups of alien race. They worship some kind of god, just like the Chimerans do. It's a coincident.

**Captain Dare:** Soon this whole war is going to get hotter than this time. United States of Atlantic must be the top super power enough, along with the others: European Union and Eastasia. And without us, the whole humanity will fall to the enemies' victory.

The slide door opened for Private First Class Michael "Mickey" Crespo, and he entered in.

**Mickey:** Sir, Rookie is on board right now.

**Captain Dare:** What, So soon? Great, who nicknamed that recruit?

**Buck:** That was me Dare. Lance Corporal Rookie was once part of the US Marines Corp. His real name: Roger Samuel. Now he's entering our SOCOM-class ship, joining the ODST.

**Captain Dare:** Well then, Buck...Michael...be sure you guys give Rookie some training before we arrive planet Avro.

**Buck:** Sure it is sir.

******************

**FNG**

**Day 1 – 10:23:12**

**SOCOM-class stealth cruiser**

**Lance Corporal 'Rookie' Samuel **

**145****th**** Orbital Drop Shock Troopers**

It was morning; Lance Corporal Roger Samuel "Rookie" had never been on this SOCOM-class for an entire life. This was home to all branches of the Special Operations Command such as the Navy SEALS, 75th Ranger Regiment, and last but not least, the 145th Orbit Drop Shock Troopers.

OSDTs were top elites who took night-suicidal missions and air diving without causalities, except a few. While similar to the SEALs and Rangers, ODSTs had different armour that allowed them to swift silently, as deadly as a ninja.

That's why Roger was here, walking through the hall towards the armoury he suppose to meet. Roger served the US Marines Corp. for several years, including fighting the Chimera. With the Covenant joining the bloody war against humanity, Roger was given permission and an opportunity to transfer his military career to the ODST.

While swimming through the crowd of Special Forces members, Roger heard multiple gun fire, coming around the corner. That's the armoury he should go. He walked along the corner like a driver and entered the room. The armoury was huge, with few people taking target practice.

An ODST comrade was standing around until he found Roger. His armour was constructed with smooth plates, coloured in night-black, and has his helmet with clear faceplate. The name tag stick on the ODST's armour, stated "Gunnery Sergeant Edward (Romeo)". Romeo walked to Roger, since Roger had his name tag also.

**Romeo**: Lance Corporal Roger Samuel, right?

**Rookie:** Yes sir

**Romeo:** Good, welcome to SOCOM's 145th Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Get you ODST suit on and meet me at the armoury.

Rookie packed up his ODST suit and walked into the Boy's Change room. Ten minutes later, he returned to the armoury. He got his armour and his helmet all set, feeling comfortable with them. Romeo was waiting near the shooting gallery, and Rookie walked to him.

**Romeo:** Ok Roger. Your nickname is gonna be Rookie, so don't forget about that. Understood?

**Rookie:** Understood... but can I have a different nickname, like Archangel?

**Romeo: **Too late pal, but I'm sure your nickname should be good enough for you. Alright then, let's test you out first. Let's see if your skills meet the requirements. Get one of those ACR(s) from the Armoury Desk.

Rookie walked to the Armoury Desk with black-coloured weapons hanged behind the black T-shirt man inside. He pointed at Rookie and then the ACR assault rifle lay on the metal table. The ACR-A2 stands for "Adaptive Combat Rifle". It had a medium barrel and a Red Dot sight which gave it a sort of one-eye look.

Rookie grabbed the assault rifle and run back to Romeo nodding at him.

**Romeo:** Let's review your targeting skills. You know the drill, get to station one and aim your rifle downrange.

Rookie nodded and run to one of the stations. He levelled his ACR and aimed with its Red-Dot Sight.

**Romeo: **Shoot each target when aiming down your sight.

Two wooden targets popped up, one from above and the other in front of him. Rookie immediately pulled the trigger, and fired a single round on each target, and both targeted were knocked down.

**Romeo: **Nice... Now shoot at the targets while firing from the hip.

Three targets shoot up, illustrating alien soldiers. Rookie, again, levelled his rifle with his eye on the Red-Dot sight before shooting. He fired and shot one target at a time. After pinning down all the targets, Rookie turn to Romeo as Romeo nodded.

**Romeo: **Not bad... Now I'm gonna block the target with the sheet of plywood. I want you to shoot the targets through the wood.

Rookie nodded and return to his firing position. A wooden board suddenly stood up, making Rookie confused. He instead sprayed his bullets all along the wood until the wooden board fall down. Then a soldier target was there, at the far end, and it fell down also. He hit the target, but he wondered how he supposed to know where the enemy was hiding?

**Romeo: **Remember that bullets can penetrate thin, weak materials like wood, plaster and sheet metal... And now the final test.

Rookie flicked the trigger on the side that dropped the ACR's empty magazine. He placed the new one to where it dropped and the magazine clicked and set.

**Romeo: **I'm going to make the targets pop up one at a time. So hit all of them as fast as you can.

Rookie got his rifle levelled and aimed. Taking a slow breath; he hoped this last test wouldn't be hard for him.

**Romeo: **Ready...set...action!

A soldier target popped, and Rookie fired with his single shot. Another one popped up and he fired again. There are more and more targets to pin down, so fast Rookie could have imagined. Few seconds later, he could find no targets to shoot.

**Romeo: **Holy Cow! Good job! Never seen a solider like you before; but keep in mind that you should require more shots if your countering stronger fools... Now go get a side arm from the armoury.

But the armoury guy handed over the M6 SOCOM sidearm to Rookie, right beside him. The armoury guy then walked back to the Armoury Desk.

**Romeo: **Ok never mind... Now let's see how fast you can switch to your rifle and then your side arm. Go!

Romeo analyzed Rookie demonstrating his speed time of switching weapons. Rookie first packed his rifle on his back as the back suck the rifle with magnetic field. After he levelled his side arm, he then pushed his side arm through his handgun-pocket and took out his rifle from his back. No slow resistance shown.

**Romeo:** That's amazing Rookie. No slow motions; probably it's the side arm's weight... Alright Rookie, come this way.

Romeo lead Rookie to another table with thick wooden sticks displayed. There two of them and the knife was in the middle of them.

**Romeo: **Knife those two sticks.

**Rookie: **Ok.

Rookie grabbed the sharp-teeth, black-military knife, and spins it before he could try to slice the sticks. Counting three, he strike every stick one and the other, chopping each of them in half.

**Romeo: **Nice! Your knifing skills are remarkable! Sergeant Major Buck wants to see you. Follow me. You're free to take your weapons with you.

Rookie followed Romeo with his ACR-A2, M6 SOCOM side arm, and his combat knife. They exist out and travel along the halls. They took down stairs, leading one floor down. After one minute of walking, Rookie found himself at the hanger.

In the hanger, four ODST soldiers, different armour varieties, were there waiting for him. Behind was an huge obstacle course, with two floor high ladder platform.

**Mickey: **It's the F.N.G. sir.

**Rookie: **What?

**Romeo: **Go easy on Rookie; it's his first time in the regiment...its okay Rookie, stay frosty.

**Captain Dare:** Mickey, Dutch, Buck, that's Lance Corporal Roger "Rookie" Samuel. I'm Captain Veronica "Dare"; welcome to the Eagle Team Rookie...We have few minutes before we arrive at planet Avro.

**Buck: **But first, let's give you the C.Q.B. test. This test you'll have to run the cargo ship solo in less than 60 seconds. Romeo holds the squadron record at 19 seconds. Good luck.

**Captain Dare: **Good ahead. Climb the ladder Rookie.

**Rookie: **Yes sir.

Rookie run to the ladder, and climb up as fast as he can.

**Cpl. Taylor "Dutch" Miles: **Wow, he's...fast.

**Captain Dare: **He should be. He was amazing.

As Rookie made it up to the top, he found a table with a Personal Defence Weapon and four flash bangs on it.

**Captain Dare: **Pick up that P190 PDW and four flashbangs.

Looks like Rookie had to sacrifice his ACR, even though he can still use it. He swapped for the PDW and leaved the ACR behind. P190 was a 50-round PDW that fire armour/shield piecing rounds, and its magazine was load on the top.

Everyone from below watch Rookie stand in front of the straight rope. Rookie held the PDW's front grip and waits for Dare's instructions.

**Captain Dare: **On my go, I want you to rope down to the deck and rush to position 1. After that, you will storm down the stairs to position 2. Then hit position 3 and 4, following my precise instructions at each position. Grab the rope when you're ready.

Position numbers were steps for a recruit to clear all enemies in the obstacle course. Red arrows were marked on the floor, which guide the recruit to the finish line. Rookie step near the edge of the plat formed, stretched his neck around and decided to jump down right now.

**Rookie: **Here we go.

Rookie grabbed the rope and slide down until his feet hit the floor.

**Captain Dare: **Go! Go! Go!

His knees were bent, and he stood up and leveled his P190. Three targets appeared in front of him.

**Captain Dare:** Hit the targets!

Rookie start shooting at them, with several burst on every target. He cleared that room.

**Captain Dare: **Position 2, go!

By entering the room, Rookie followed the red arrows guiding to the next one.

**Captain Dare: **Flash bang, through the door!

He grabbed and threw a single flash bang and get cover behind the wall. The flash bang goes off with a blast of light.

**Captain Dare: **Position 4, go!

Entering the room, more targets appeared and Rookie immediately eliminated them with his P190.

**Captain Dare: **Position 5, move!

Next room, other targets come out in different spots. After Rookie took all of them out, he kept moving on. Another door appeared in front of him, so he got his flash bang ready.

**Captain Dare: **Flash bang, through the door!

He threw it and took cover. Once gone off, he charged in and attacked the targets.

**Captain Dare: **Final position, go! Sprint to the finish!

Rookie found the red circle painted on the floor. It should be the finish line, so mind as well run to there as quickly as possible. With two foot over the circle, he made it. He made his way out to meet the Eagle Team.

**Buck: **Pretty good Soap, but I seen better... Climb up the ladder if you want another go. Otherwise come over to the monitors for debrief.

**Rookie: **No thanks sir, I'm good to go.

**Captain Dare: **Very well Rookie...

An announcement echoed from a speaker, somewhere on the ceiling. Everyone listened.

**Overlord: **All personnel, this is Overlord. We're arriving planet Avro from Slipstream in two minutes; ordered 75th Rangers Regiment Team Fire Fox and 145th ODST Eagle Team to report at the Hanger Bay One in ten minutes.

**Captain Dare: **You heard him, let's get our stuff ready in two minutes! Move!


	2. Chapter 1: Cosmo Streets

The SOCOM-class stealth cruiser out from the Slipstream gate- arrived at planet Avro's atmosphere. If it had ended up in the middle of the space battle between Human and Chimeran ships, it could have taken a while to enter Avro's atmosphere.

The SOCOM-class, named _Set and Dawn_, was designed in compressed-triangle body shape. Besides weapon installations, mostly Magnetic Accelerating Cannon and Attack/Air Support missiles, and Hanger launch docks, the word "stealth" means that this ship was accurately invisible to both any kind of radar and eyesight (if in cloak mode).

**General Shaun "Overlord" Markus: **This is it. We had several kiometres to our objective point. That is in Cosmo City from one of Atlantican states...Eagle Team, I'm signing you to land on Cosmo city and get to the Cosmo's Ancient Museum and find this.

The image on the holographic table revealed a cone objective, formed with four plates. Its five metres high, 1.5 metres in diametre, and also illustrated a core sphere in the middle.

**Captain Dare:** What's that sir?

**Overlord: **One of Forerunner structures that the Chimera and the Covenant are scavenging for. Some kind of EMP device; with one press of a key, it's powerful enough to absorb and disable any kind of technology made with electrical energy.

**Buck: **That will be the enemies' new weapon device if we don't stop them from taking it.

A shattering light warmed from the screen's surface, dim down into a young tall slender-female smart artificial intelligence. She wore white dress shirt and black pants and dress boots. Her long hair was black also.

**AI Construct: **It's known as a counterpart of ACS Module.

**Captain Dare: **Serina, no time-no seek.

**Serina: **Same to you Veronica.

Dare and Serina had known each other four years ago since they're first operation against the Chimera.

Anyways, my prediction was that if the Chimera got a hand of that Forerunner ACS module, they'll have the opportunity to disable all our defences; including the United Nation's Space Command Defence (UNSCD).

**Overlord: **It's not the Chimera they're going to steal the ACS...it's the aliens from a single Covenant vessel.

The holographic screen opened and zoomed in the map of Cosmo City, and captured the object of a Covenant Assault Carrier with its beaming gravity lift.

**Captain Dare:** We're running out time then, I'm moving out.

**Serina: **Good luck Veronica.

**Cosmo Streets**

**Day 1 – 11:30:36**

**Cosmo City, United States of Atlantic, ****Avro (111 Tauri System) **

**Lance Corporal 'Rookie' Samuel **

**145th Orbital Drop Shock Troopers**

Rookie watched from the back as one of the three dropships, MV-24H Vultures, rocket away from _Set and Dawn_. Their jet engines thundered and speared out towards the downtown city of Cosmo. It's almost dawn as the sun positioned over the burning city.

Rookie got his SOF Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR), with Holographic sight and Grenade Launcher, on his lap. He sat on the opposite side of Buck with his P190TR PDW, with Red Dot sight.

**Vulture Pilot "_Full Hammer"_: **Scheduled landing in three minutes captain.

**Captain Dare, with ACR-A1; Holographic Sight and Grenade Launcher: **Good Full Hammer.

**Mickey, with** **Sniper Rifle System 99D-S2 Anti-Material; ACOG Scope**: Well let's rock Eagles!

Serine radioed through their communication channels. They're two kilometres away from the edge with tall buildings. Their windows and roof gardens, from condos to corporate business buildings were burned by plasma fire.

**Serine (O.S.): **This is Serine, be advised. We are receiving reports of enemy artilleries inflicting causalities. You guys better run cold turkey or flank the artilleries out.

**Captain Dare: **Roger; will flank them first if we have time.

Almost near the city, Rookie and Buck watched a convoy of military vehicles from above.

**Marine (O.S.): **"Immediate; Grid kilo two-three is hot. Recommend mission abort."

**Pilot Full Hammer (O.S.): **Roger Recon.

They passed two marine snipers from the roof top. Their Vulture dropship flew up and down as it faces wind turbulence. Rookie hated turbulence whenever he air travelled around for vacation or get transferred to different military camps.

**Pilot Full Hammer: **It's your call Captain.

**Captain Dare: **We're going in...(O.S.) Get tactical boys.

**Dutch from the other Vulture dropship (O.S.): **Aye Aye Captain Sexy.

**Captain Dare: **Oh shut up!

Rookie giggled a little and shook his head. He stopped when Buck pad his hand on Rookie's shoulder.

**Buck: **Hey..., just remembered your skills Rookie. Don't get pinned down on us.

Rookie nodded. He could feel the Vulture dropship lowered, preparing for landing.

**Pilot Full Hammer: **Thirty seconds out... stand by to... oh shit!

The pilot made Rookie jumped, and got up to see what's in front of him. Looking through the cockpit, a large four-legged mecha fired yellow rain of charged plasma at the three Vultures. A big impact shook once, and the whole dropship lost control and started to spin around.

**Pilot Full Hammer: **May day! May day! We're going down; I repeat we're going down..."

The Vulture dropship crashed; all Rookie could see was black, feeling unconscious. Few seconds later, Rookie slowly returned to conscious, being shaken by Dare.

**Captain Dare: **Yeah, wake up! Wake up!

Rookie shook his head; he could only hear her in low sound. He could hear gunfire also. His eye slowly opened, seeing Dare with him and Buck firing his ACR.

**Captain Dare: **Good you're up. We need your help, Chimerans crawling over us.

When Rookie heard that, he tried to jump into action but felt little pain on his right leg. He doesn't care; he cautiously got up and saw up to seven Chimeran Hybrids launching assault against his group. They have dark-blue armour, armed with red energy Bullseye assault rifles.

Rookie and Dare jumped into action, firing their assault at the Chimeran Hybrids. Rookie fired his SCAR with several burst on each Hybrid. Since his SCAR was a 40-round rifle, he killed four enemies before reloading. Dare and Buck finished off the rest of the two, but there were more coming.

**Buck: **We've gonna have to get out of here, fast.

It was too late however. An additional of seven Chimeran Hybrids charged in from the north- west, plus two ape-like infantries, known as Jiralhanaes, or mainly Brutes. Brutes could be seen with blue armour armed with twin blade Spiker guns, and had energy shields, operated by their power armour, for additional protection.

Rookie made a quick throw of a frag-grenade, found from his armour belt. After letting it go and landed in the middle of the group of Chimeran Hybrids, the grenade exploded with four kills. Rookie took off his empty magazine and reloaded a new one for his SCAR.

**Captain Dare: **Hey!... Take this!

She pull the trigger of ACR's grenade launcher, fired the grenade bullet towards the two Brutes. The bullet exploded, making their armour spark a flash of light and it dropped itself into parts. Buck and Rookie together shoot through the Brutes' fur body, and both were finally killed.

**Buck:** Prefect...No additional forces coming here.

**Serina (O.S.): **This is Serina, what's your status over?

**Captain Dare: **This is Dare here; our dropships got hit by a Goliath. We're not sure if Mickey, Dutch, and Romeo were dead or alive.

No wonder what Rookie saw before they got hit. Rookie turned around and found the Vulture dropship crushed and burned; looks like the pilot was dead already. He looked around the buildings surrounding him; they could have crashed into one of those buildings.

**Serina (O.S.): **Our apologies. We were going to send you a warning about the Goliath, but we're too late. Looks like you guys have to go by foot. We're gonna give you an opportunity though; we located the nearest enemy artillery 1.3 kilometres from your position. It's at the Royale Plaza on Yogi Street.

**Dutch (O.S.): **Roger that, we're on our way.

**Captain Dare: **Dutch? We thought you guys are dead.

**Dutch (O.S.): **False arm Dare. Mickey, me, and Romeo are still in good condition.

**Captain Dare: **We I'll see you at Royale Plaza then, as long as you're still in active.

**Serina (O.S.): **Good luck Eagle Team. Find any artillery you can destroy so we can let US marines into the city. Out.

**Rookie: **That looks fun. We're in some kind of scavenging hunt right?

**Buck: **Maybe; but let's not waist our time. We're in the corner of Dalton Street and Yogi Street. Let's follow the Yogi Street.

Captain Dare lead Buck and Rookie down the hill stairs to the corner of the two streets. Cars and buses were crashed and shot down before the immediate evacuation. The advertisement screen in front of them on the top-wall building was smashed by crashed commercial VTOL.

**Buck: **Hey Rookie, switch your VISR. It's getting dark in here.

Rookie nodded and hits the VISR (Visual Intelligence System Reconnaissance) found on his helmet. On the view of his faceplate, orange lines were drawn on the edge of every object, including buildings. Except, the figures of Dare and Buck were lined green.

**Captain Dare: **See it Rookie...one with the green...that's us. The red ones are marked as hostiles; but any unrecognized contacts will be still marked as orange.

**Rookie: **Right.

They continued walking up the road hill, travelling through trash, burned civilian vehicles and some dead brave city authorities. Cautious was required in this situation, because there maybe possibilities of ambush, snipers, or worse, an enemy tank.

Captain Dare ended up with two divided roads. One slanted up and the other slanted down.

**Buck: **Right, Yogi Street should be on the left.

She nodded and they took the one on the left. Walking down, they spotted four red figures coming behind the garbage truck right ahead. One of them had a Brute Captain, with Red-Purple covered armour.

**Rookie: **Should we engage them?

**Captain Dare: **I don't know; take them out or slip pass; our call Buck.

**Buck: **I say we take them out the Chimerans first, and then the Brute.

They agreed and levelled their rifles, aiming the Chimeran Hybrids, and slowly advance forward. Rookie fired his SCAR first, sniping out the two Hybrids. Then Dare and Buck snipe the rest, except one single Brute. The Brute became aggressive and angry, and fired his spiker gun.

Rookie fired several burst on the head with the help of Dare and Buck. In few seconds after the Brute Captain's power armour depleted and torn off, the Brute was about the berserk, but got killed in no time.

**Captain Dare: **Good job guys...you can pick one of the Bullseye if you want Rookie.

**Rookie: **You're right. Those Chimerans and Brutes were busy fighting than patrolling.

Rookie picked up one Bullseyes and collected its magazines. They later end up the rotary. Buck believed Yogi Street continues to the left side, so he pointed to that direction. Captain Dare and Rookie followed Buck to the next road.

Buck suddenly raised his left arm up. Several red figures were coming ahead in front of him.

**Buck: **Quick, let's hide instead.

**Captain Dare: **Okay.

They hide behind the long truck and Buck took a peak at the back.

**Buck: **Yes, they're turning clock-wise.

When the road they should go was clear, Buck turn to Captain Dare and Rookie and wave back, telling them the road was clear. They got out and ran continue long the Yogi Street without being detected.

Running up the hill, they could artillery fire. The sound came from behind the curved building on the edge of the curved road.

**Captain Dare: **See that entrance glowing red, we can go there and seek through that building.

They got to the red glowing entrance, and the door automatically slide opened. Inside was so dark, but with the VISR operating, they could still walk through the dark. With rare spots of lights from the ceiling and computer monitors, Captain Dare guided them up to the stairs.

Rookie could hear artillery fire very close. It became louder after its second fire. They make their way up to third floor as artillery fire got louder than last time. Sunlight shined through the smashed windows.

**Captain Dare: **There it is. Just get down.

They kneel down and walk under the windows; because the hall has a monitor board glowing green background and yellow line patterns.

**Serina (O.S.): **Be advised Eagle Team, we deployed our F-99 UAV Wombat and it's escorting towards the enemy artillery in Royale Plaza. If you guys are near that area, Buck should do the Wombat airstrike. Out.

**Buck: **Yeah, I got the Wombat Missile Precision Strike (WMPS) laptop with me, unbroken....

**Romeo (O.S.): **Hey, this is Romeo calling over.

**Captain Dare: **This is Dare, where are you now?

**Romeo (O.S.): **I'm at the building near at the Royale Plaza; you?

**Captain Dare:** Same here. Buck is going to perform the Womb airstrike; standby.

Buck however hand the WMPS laptop to Rookie.

**Buck: **Here, you can take over without. You know how to use it right?

**Rookie: **No worries, I'm good with this.

Rookie received and opened the WMPS laptop. The screen viewed buildings surrounding the Royale Plaza. The artillery seemed bigger than he expected. Red squares indicated enemy infantries.

As the Wombat moved the scene, Rookie hit left click button and the camera view changed from the Wombat's optic to the missile's optic. The target mark appeared, and he used his thumb against the pad to move the launching missile. The view of the enemy artillery came closer and closer, and then...bang.

The missile strike sparked an explosion on the collapsing artillery, piping smoke and debrie.

**Mickey (O.S.): **Alright! You guys strike it!

**Captain Dare: **Excellent strike Rookie... Let's meet them outside.

**Buck: **Mickey, Romeo, Dutch, regroup us outside.

**Mickey (O.S.): **Roger that.

Everyone got out of the buildings and regrouped near the shredded-burned artillery. The artillery was Chimeran made, built with thick metal steel and powered with unknown Chimeran energy resource, or probably plasma energy.

Romeo got his Cheyenne Tact. 99D Anti-material sniper rifle system. For Mickey, he wielded with his AA-12 assault shotgun with Red Dot Sight and got his SPRNK-387L anti-vehicle rocket launcher on his back. And Dutch, M90 pump-action shotgun and the Euro F6 Non-linear Rifle were his best armaments.

**Romeo: **Glad you did an awesome strike down Buck.

**Buck: **It wasn't me actually. It was Rookie we should thank with.

**Mickey: **Right, that FNG had learned about using the Wombat since he was a damn marine.

**Romeo: **Hey, quit calling Rookie "fucking new guy", he had enough experie...

Roaring voices disturb the conversation from one of the buildings. Chimera Hybrids jumped out from the building where Rookie came out from. Rookie and Dare fired their assault rifles, and Romeo jumped on top of the artillery's leg and start sniping out the Hybrids.

**Mickey: **Man, knew they'll come for us.

**Captain Dare: **If they didn't know we're here before, they do now.

After the all the Chimeran Hybrids were killed, a Brute Captain and the two minors jumped from the roof to the platform behind the ODSTs.

**Captain Dare: **Yep. Here they come! Up high!

When two minor Brutes landed on the ground in the first place, Romeo sniped one of them with three shots. Buck attacked the other minor Brute with Mickey's sniping support. Dutch saw the Brute Captain touched down his feet in front of them, and he double blast the brute with his M60 shotgun. The Brute Captain got his shield down after two blast hits, and later got pinned in a third shot.

**Mickey: **Wow that guy almost kill-ya Dutch.

**Dutch: **Cut it out! I'm fine.

More roaring voices come from the right side of the plaza.

**Captain Dare: **More on the street! One o'clock!

More Chimeran Hybrids and two Brutes, one minor and one major, charged in. Romeo tossed his frag-grenade and it fell into the group of Chimeran soldiers. He saw Chimeran-made mortar turrets installed facing the group of hostiles.

**Romeo: **Someone operate those mortar turrets.

Rookie and Mickey charged for the turrets, grabbed on, and fire its several blast of yellow plasma. It formed huge sphere of plasma shots killing groups of Chimeran Hybrids and then the low-rank Brutes. Rookie found this turret more fun than shooting assault rifles.

After all hostiles were eliminated, they heard buzzing noises coming from behind the buildings on the south-west. Swarm of small drones appeared from the south-west buildings shooting charged shots.

**Captain Dare: **Patrol drones, over the rooftops!

**Romeo: **I got them!

Romeo grabbed one of the non-Chimeran purple/pink-coloured plasma cannons and fired the patrol drones into bits. Though they're cheaper-knock off, they're very dangerous, and annoying, when in large groups. Mickey got off the turret and fired his AA-12 assault shotgun at the drones.

**Mickey: **Man, I could have brought a machine gun with me.

It took several seconds until there were no more patrol drones coming at them. This was not over yet though; another wave of Chimeran-Brute forces jumped from the north.

**Captain Dare: **Across the plaza, twelve o'clock.

Again, Rookie continues fire his mortar turret neutralizing the Chimera Hybrids and Brutes. He was amazed about the turret, more than the .50 caliber installed machine gun he used when he was a marine. Once Rookie cleaned out the hostiles, everything seemed all clear.

Two lines of lighting shots from above strike near Buck and Dare and looked at the roof.

**Captain Dare: **Eyes up; Sharpshooters from the roof tops.

Chimeran sharpshooters were good marksman wearing different armour, other than the Hybrids' metal body armour. Mickey sniped off the two sharpshooters and both fell of the rooftops with their Marksman rifles.

**Buck: **Guess we're done, right?

**Captain Dare: **Yeah, we better get to the museum before those freaks capture the forerunner ACS module.

Captain Dare lead the Eagle Team to the north, several kilometres to where the museum is located on the other side of the long-extensive river. Therefore, they have to find transport and a bridge to cross ovver.

They ended up with a gate between the buildings, blocking their path.

**Serina (O.S.): **This is Serina. We have Hawk team from the 75th Rangers Regiment waiting for you at Foot Loose Hotel, but they're countering enemy resistance.

**Captain Dare: **Roger that Serina...Someone get a satchel on the gate.

**Mickey: **Roger that yoah.

The gate suddenly shook, raising dust. They back up, without realizing what's behind those doors. Dutch believed there's something big behind the gates, so he got his Non-linear rifle levelled and armed.

**Rookie: **Get ready, whatever it is.

A few seconds later, it breaks, and a pair of huge figures arrived. Dutch jumped and fired his long- bright red laser. The angled bright-red line of laser burned the two figures, and both were killed in a matter of seconds.

**Captain Dare: **You nail them Dutch...those Ravagers also killed us...Let's move before the Rangers gets pinned down.


	3. Chapter 2: Road to War

**The Road to War**

**Day 1 – 11:56:02**

**Cosmo City, United States of Atlantic, Avro (111 Tauri System)**

**Lance Corporal 'Rookie' Samuel **

**145****th**** Orbital Drop Shock Troopers**

It was a few minutes later after Rookie and Captain Dare's Eagle team fight their through the Chimeran-occupied shopping alley. There were Chimeran Sharpshooters from the roofs and balconies, Hybrids on the ground, and two Ravagers they fought.

Entering to the deserted western alley after the fight, Rookie looked around different kinds of store buildings, damaged by Chimeran forces. This alley had reminded him about hanging out with his friends since he was a teenager. He came here twice with his girlfriend for a date.

**Captain Dare:** Seems too quiet here.

**Buck: **I know, but we're almost near to the Foot Loose Hotel. It should be near Kentucky Street.

**Romeo: **Hope we're going on a right direction, because I don't want to fight those Sharpshooters again.

So does Rookie too; he faced a lot of enemy snipers throughout his military career. Sharpshooter's _Marksman_ rifle was sniper-counterpart battle rifles that fired three burst of lighting. Unlike sniper rifles, it can be accessorized with a drone-launcher or a sticky guidable launcher.

Shouts and gun fire could be heard from the opposite side of a bank building, and Captain Dare raised her arm up to halt and listen.

**Captain Dare: **Hear that; sounds like there's a fire-fight going on there.

**Rookie: **I can hear men shouting; that looks like the Rangers needs some help.

**Buck: **Let's hurry up then.

Running around the bank building, the ODST team end up in street in the middle of the fight between the human Rangers and the Chimeran ground troops, lead by a single Brute Captain. They're right behind the Hybrids' backs; a perfect opportunity for surprise ambush.

**Buck:** Let's get them. Use your flash-bangs guys!

The ODSTs picked their single flash-bangs from their equip-belts, flick the ignition switch, and throw it into the distracted Chimerans. They ran back for cover, and the flash-bangs spark a flash of white light. The Chimeran Hybrids and the Brute Captain got blinded by stained white flash, and had their ears covered from high-peak sound-tone.

**Captain Dare: **Now!

Rookie switched his SCAR for his Bullseye to save up his SCAR's ammunitions. With his team combined assault, he held the trigger of the Bullseye very tight, slaughtering the weak Hybrids. Both ODSTs and Rangers later fired at the Brute Captain, shredding down his shields and pinned him down.

Captain Dare was first to meet the sergeant of the Ranger Hawk team. The sergeant was a black male, standing taller than Dare. He had seven Ranger infantries with him, hiding inside the abstracted-shape Foot Loose Hotel.

His and the Ranger's battle-plate armour were coded with urban digital-camouflage, including on boots and helmet. Some Rangers have black sun-glasses or clear eye-protection eye-plates, while others have a mouth cover or none of them. They're armed with ACRs, SCARs, P190 PDWs, but also with two of them wielding FMG-184 _Javelin_ missile launchers.

Rookie replaced the Bullseye's empty-heated magazine with the new one, almost bring his hand.

**Captain Dare: **You guys alright there?

**Sergeant: ** Affirmative. Glad you could make it ODSTs. Our vehicle convoy is going to meet us on the other side of this hotel; but the Chimera are crawling all over it.

**Captain Dare: **Well let's neutralize them before our ride arrives; names Captain _Dare _Veronica.

**Sergeant: **Names Sergeant Foley; commander of Hunter Two-One, 1st Battalion... Follow me.

Captain Dare followed Foley inside the Foot Loose Hotel. There were no windows placed, but a main area for new guests. The entrance to the corridors were found beside the booking desk, completely black-out despite the blinking light bulbs.

Rookie and the rest gathered inside and make their way into the darken hotel. Few bulbs kept flashing around the surface of the corridors of the hotel. Bolts of yellow plasma flow through the exits, burning the wall corridors.

**Sergeant Foley: **Stay outta sight.

Rookie gets ready to throw his flash-bang, wrapping it very tight with his hand. Chimera Hybrids and three Brutes jumped in, and Rookie toss his flash-bang at them.

**Rookie: **Flash-Bang!

But the Rangers fired at them anyways. Rookie's flash-bang exploded into a flash of light and blinded both sides. Rookie's eye-view had gone white blind before he shuts it, and his ears couldn't be closed from high-peak sound. Both humans and Chimeran ground forces did the same.

Rookie slowly opened his eyes slowly returning his eye-view back to normal level. As he fired his rounds of Bullseye, the objects he could see had moved less dizzy. All of them hold still, and his view went back in shape, including his ears.

With several Chimerans down and the Rangers and Eagle Team got back up, the two Brutes and the rest fall back outside.

**Mickey: **God damn it! What the hell was that?!

**Rookie: **Sorry, I thought the flash-bang couldn't hit us in far distance..."

**Captain Dare: **Guys! Let's keep going already.

The ODST Eagle Team had made it out. A large view of the natural reserve appeared behind the four-lane highway of Cosmo city. A pedestrian bridge was found over the highway, leading to the bus station.

Two Brutes and few Chimeran hybrids fired from below, and Romeo, Buck, and several of Foley's Rangers fired back. Despite the fight, Captain Dare pointed at a curved bridge found several kilometres north-west from their position.

**Captain Dare: **There, that's the bridge we're going.

**Sergeant Foley: **But we need to meet the military convoy right here first so we can get up there...

Right from above their heads, a monstrous dropship showed up from nowhere. The heavy-metal armoured Chimeran dropship hovered over the bus station with its main gun fired at the Rangers. Rangers fall back without receiving hits.

**US Ranger: **Dropship inbound!

**Dutch: **Mickey!

**Mickey: **Right!

Both Dutch and Mickey armed themselves with anti-vehicle weapons, non-linear rifle and SPRNK rocket launcher. Nevertheless, the Chimeran dropship already deployed two Brutes and six Chimeran soldiers. Dutch and Mickey fired at the left wing of the dropship, and it cracked up causing the dropship lose control. The dropship could longer be seen before it hits into the ground.

Two Brutes flied up, typically minor Jump Pack Brutes. They're hard to kill, unless their jump pack technology gets jammed. And the fight got harder; Chimeran Hybrids fired their Bullseye's accessorized attachment, deploying their hard-surface energy Force Barrier.

**Buck****: **This is getting harder guys.

Rookie fired his SCAR at the Jump Pack Brutes, but they're too fast. Even Captain Dare couldn't take down the harden surface of Chimerans' Force Barrier with her grenade launcher attachment. Rookie then switched his Bullseye and prepared to level and fired the Bullseye's accessorized Homing Tag launcher by squeezing triggers at one of the Jump Pack Brutes.

Once the Homing Tag stick on the flying Brute, Rookie's zooming plasma sparks followed and circulated its magnetic field. The Brute took damages on his power armour as Rookie continues attacking him. The power armour popped out, and the rest of plasma ammunitions finish the Brute off.

**Captain Dare: **Nice finish Rookie.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Foley had no trouble fighting the annoying Jump Pack Brute. His own SCAR rifle, with holographic sight and attachable Master-Key shotgun, shot the Brute without several misses. He finished him off in a record of twelve seconds each.

**Sergeant Foley: **You make my mother-in-law look pretty!

**Dutch: **Hey guys, looks!

Dutch pointed with his pump-action shotgun at the incoming armour convoy coming to aid. At last, four 4x4 Light Multirole Vehicles and two M218 _Fastback_ tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles had stopped at the front of the pedestrian bridge cross. The _Fastback _fired its dual-feed chain-gun, spanking the Hybrids' Force Barrier until it got depleted and the hybrids were finished.

**First LMV driver (O.S.): **Special delivery from the 7th Armour Bridge Sergeant Foley.

**Sergeant Foley: **About time guys. Let's regroup with them.

The Rangers and the ODST team cross the bridge, and run down the stairs. By the time they all flee from the bus station to regroup the vehicles, two Brute rapid assault vehicles, known as _Choppers_, roared from the end of the highway.

The LMV used its remote weapon system (RWS) firing its minigun at the closest two-front wheeled Brute Chopper. The brutal penetration against the Brute driver's power armour, his shields quickly teared down and the driver was knocked off from the vehicle.

The Chopper was bounced and tossed around towards a Ranger, but Rookie pushed him off away from it; they both hit into the ground of asphalt.

**Ranger, SCAR w/ Red Dot sight and grenade launcher: **Thanks dude.

Rookie nodded to him, and watch the other Brute Chopper get blown up by one of the Fastback's TOW (tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided) IIIA missiles. He gave the Ranger soldier a hand to get him up.

**Rookie: **Come on, stand up. We got work to do.

**Ranger: **Right...I'm Private James Ramirez.

**Rookie: **Well nice to see you...Roger _"Rookie"_ Samuel.

**James Ramirez: **K Rookie; follow me to the LMV; I'm gonna trade for it with someone.

James led Rookie to the front LMV, and he knocked twice on the door to get the driver switch seats. Captain Dare, Buck, and the other of their ODST entered into the two LMVs. Rookie hopped at the back, where he gets to trade with the gunner for the (RWS).

**James Ramirez: **Let's role! We're Oscar Mikes!

James hit the engines, leading the convoy along the highway.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Overlord, we had regroup the 75th Ranger Hawk Team, lead by Hunter-Two One. We regroup with the convoy, proceeding to the bridge.

**Serina (O.S.): **Dare this is Serina. Keep going along the highway until you reached at the checkpoint. You'll meet there for the dropship to deliver the M5A2 main battle tank from the 8th Armour Division...

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Good; what's the stats?

**Serina (O.S.): **I'm detecting highest concentration of Chimera and Covenant ground troops directly both inside the Forerunner museum and below the carrier. I don't think they want you guys to get on board.

**Buck (O.S.): **Well will have to go pass through them.

**Serina (O.S.): **But be advised everyone. The Chimeran Goliath was making its way to the bridge you going to meet. It looks like its heading towards the Forerunner museum.

Existing out from the forest of condominiums and other tall buildings, large hectares of natural reserve area appeared on the right side of the highway. It was now been dominated by Chimeran/Brute forces, their artilleries, and a 150 metre tall Goliaths. The Goliath is a four-legged massive walking siege battery, designed and built for subjugating entire cities.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Yeah; I got an eye on the Goliath right now. It's walking over the natural reserve, heading north.

**Serina (O.S.): **If that thing was planning to crush down the northern part of the city, you guys gonna have to try to destroy it by getting there first.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Got that; once done, we'll see if the Forerunner ACS Module is still on the ground.

Suddenly, an explosion punched out one kilometre from the convoy. The whole convoy paused, and watched a hole cut in the middle of the highway. Rookie radioed.

**Rookie (O.S.): ** Crap; we needed to exist here and find the other way to get back.

**Buck (O.S.): ** There's a nearest exist on the right side. It will lead us to the natural reserve, so we better fight through for a highway entrance.

**James Ramirez: **I found the exist; leading the way.

James lead the convoy towards the highway exist, and made out into the _Outgo_ Natural Reserve. It was home to natural parks, zoos, and special events held few months ago. Right now, the whole land of hills, plains, and trees of planet Avro was crawled with Brute and Chimeran units.

Five Choppers jumped from the hills, and two Chimeran multi-legged mobile heavy platform vehicles known as _Stalkers._ Like the Fastback IFV, they're equipped with anti-air/personal auto cannons and missile pods.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Everyone spilt up! Make sure you don't pinned down here until we find the way out of here.

**Romeo (O.S.): **We're Oscar Mikes guys, let's do this!

LMVs and Fastbacks spread out, and attack nearby enemy forces. Rookie, with his faceplate against the monitor screen of his RWS, squeezed both triggers launching penetrating bullets at the Choppers. James had to keep running around the park; because those Choppers were armed with 35 auto cannons that can quickly destroy mostly anything in its path of destruction.

The Chopper fired its auto cannons attacking Rookie's LMV, with no success. Rookie's minigun shred off one of Choppers' hulls and the driver's power armour. The Chopper exploded, killing its driver. The other LMV, possibly Mickey and Dutch, attacked the two Choppers close behind with its RSW's deployable rockets. Both were toasted into bits.

**Dutch (O.S.): **Got your back Rookie.

**Rookie: **Thanks, let's keep going.

**Serina (O.S.): **Everyone listen up; the entrance you're searching for is on the northern side of the natural reserve park. You'll have to follow the road that leads here and pass through several enemy camp spots...Oh, and don't forget about neutralizing the artilleries.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Thanks for guidance Serina.

**Serina (O.S.): **Radio me back once you're at the front bridge entrance. Out.

They continued fighting along the dirt road with Chimeran and Brute forces. Rookie's hands were losing strength, getting tired of unleashing rampaging rounds of his minigun. Though true, his RWS was his only defence. He had seen two Fastbacks shooting down Stalkers with their TOW missiles.

Running up the hill to the north, bunches of Chimeran guard towers and fuel containers were blocking Rookie and James's way. Chimeran Hybrids could be seen from the towers, with pulse cannons! Those pulse cannon were anti-tank high-energy pulse weapons, allowing the pulse to launch at high, unpredictable speed but took long time to recharge.

**James Ramirez: **Rookie; you better shoot down those towers.

**Rookie: **Roger that.

Rookie painlessly fired his second trigger, double launching deployable rockets. The two guard towers were knocked out and collapse with the Chimeran Hybrids. He continued operating his firing minigun to ignite the fuel containers. The containers explode between the guard towers.

**James Ramirez: **Great job; now let's get those artilleries crushed.

James drove towards the artilleries, firing targets for supporting their ground forces. By the time they got there, they discovered the artilleries were being overwhelmed by Fastback IFVs. The Fastbacks launched their TOW missiles and auto cannons to bring them down into crumble.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Well down guys; let's get back to what we started.

**Rookie: ** Dare, we were gonna finish those pin-pointing heads.

**Mickey (O.S.): **Too late Rookie; you guys are slow.

**Rookie: **Oh fuck you Mickey Mouse!

**Serina (O.S.): **Serina here; good job on neutralizing the artilleries. The US convoys are moving. Proceed to the bridge front checkpoint.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Everyone follow my lead.

Rookie turned around the monitor view, and spotted the Goliath. Every time its single leg stomped, debrie of fire flared out. The Goliath formed the path line of destruction. That monstrous machine was slow; soon they could get to the other side of the city ahead on time.

Dare's LMV end up at the Chimera's dock platform, best place for dropship landing. With few Chimeran infantries standing, Dare and Rookie fired their guns and splattered them down. There was also a guard tower, knocked down by a Fastback IFV.

Continuing their quest through the beautiful natural plain, they found deep-ground foot prints of the Goliath. Before avoiding machine-made cliffs, up in the dark sky, the gunners discovered four Hunter Drones swimming around the air. All four fired charge bolts from the skies with its one arm gun on the bottom body.

**Rookie: **Hunter drones 12 o'clock!

**Buck: ** Take them out!

They fired back with their main guns. The Fastbacks have anti-air auto-cannons, giving themselves a better advantage to fight hostile air vehicle. Even best suit for shooting down Hunter Drones, and blow them into chunks of metal.

Despite that effort, the Hunter Drone sting on the Fastback IFV with its own minigun. Yellow swarm line of charge bolt plasma burned the IFV's hull.

**Ranger-Fastback IFV 1: **Alert; we need support here!

As the Hunter Drone pointed its yellow eye at the Fastback, Rookie positioned his target on the Hunter Drone. His fired deployable rocket shot the drone, destroyed and crashed into the soil of _Outgo_ Reserve.

**James Ramirez: **You're alright Morgan?

**Private Morgan: **[Coughs] Sure thing; thanks for your help.

The last Hunter Drone retreated to the sky, letting the ODSTs and the Rangers made it to the tunnel-highway entrance. They slanted up in and made their way through abandon civilian vehicles to the bridge checkpoint. Their head lights flashed the whole surface of the highway.

There were some Chimeran checkpoints the ODSTs and the Rangers crushed through. Even Chimeran Ravagers were no match with heavily armed Fastback IFVs. Swarms of patrol drones were fought many metres ago.

The highway included opening tunnels, viewing the sky and the towered buildings of Cosmo. The ODST and Ranger convoy made to that location, combating Brute Choppers and checkpoints; or camp spots.

Few metres later, driving through the dark multi-highway tunnel, a shake rumbled the whole area. The ceiling of the highway fell to the road, stomped by the Goliath's foot. The whole convoy break before they would crash into the metal foot.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Holy shit! We could have been crushed.

The Goliath's foot raised from the ground; it was a close call. They travel around the footprint, and made their way to the bridge checkpoint. They later encountered more Brute vehicles; Infantry Support Vehicle _Prowlers. _

Four Prowlers are heavy armoured and heavy armed with plasma cannons. They seemed hard to get destroyed, except with no protection for their passengers, gunners and drivers. Rookie and Dare watched the Prowlers forming their own convoy, heading north.

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **Looks like they're trying to regroup.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Don't let them.

That's when the ODST's LMVs come into assault. Miniguns and deployable rockets should do the work. The spraying bullets penetrate every Prowler's armour, due to its casual resistances. For Rookie, he decided it will be efficient to kill the gunner at the front of the Prowler, then the rest. Brutes were completely useless, as they get slaughtered by RWSs' attacks.

After the convoy of Prowlers were burned down, ODSTs and Rangers were free to go.

**James Ramirez: **That wasn't so bad...right Rookie?

**Rookie: **Right...their armour looks tough, but not tough enough at all.

They found an opening of the highway tunnel with two standing structures Rookie could hardly see. That looks like a bridge.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Serina; this is Dare reporting. We're closing near the bridge checkpoint.

**Serina (O.S.): **Glad to hear that; secure that area and wait for the _Pelican _dropship for delivery.


	4. Chapter 3: Cloverfield

Serina analysed the model of the walking Goliath on the table screen. She searched and filed the weapons, the battery engines, and everything the General must know. Four battery engines were identified as 50 metres in length, cylinder shape power of the Goliath.

**Overlord: **Any ideas of taking down that machine?

**Serina: **Negative; the US marines tried everything. Airstrikes, artillery, didn't do a thing.

Her eyes watched the walking mecha crossing the long curved-bridge to the western city of Cosmo.

**Serina: **I located four of Chimeran energy battery powers on the back of the Goliath. It's covered by a cooling system layer; that's for controlling the heating temperature of the batteries. If destroyed, one of the batteries will have to extend out, in order to release heat.

**Overlord: **We'll need someone the tear down its back...what's the status from the Forerunner museum?

The map zoomed in and extended wide over the screen, leaving the window of the Goliath blue print hidden. The map was shown in bird-eye view; smokes hovered from the buildings surrounding the museum. Both Chimera and non-Chimera soldiers were waiting outside for the Forerunner ACS module.

**Serina: **The Covenant and the Chimera are stilling working there. Looks like they had trouble moving the ACS module; it's going to take them time to transfer it outside.

The map zoomed out and followed the highway to the eastern side of the bridge, where the ODST Eagle Team and Sergeant Foley's Hawk Ranger Team got the main battle tank received from the Pelican dropship.

**Serina: **The M5A2 Schwarzkopf has been deployed; ready for ODST's use.

**Overload: **Get them crossed the bridge, and find a way to stop that Goliath.

**Serina: **You got it.

Named after General Norman Schwarzkopf, the M5A2 was the latest main battle tank in the US Armed Forces. Its 120mm rail cannon is capable of punishing heavy fortifications while its fire control system gives it unsurpassed accuracy. Besides its M247T 7.62mm armour-piercing tracer, it also featured its own 20mm chain gun to neutralize both infantries and light vehicles.

**Cloverfield**

**Day 1 – 12:10:49**

**Cosmo City, United States of Atlantic, Avro (111 Tauri System)**

**Lance Corporal 'Rookie' Samuel **

**145****th**** Orbital Drop Shock Troopers**

**Captain Dare: **Thanks for the tank. We never gets us anything.

**Serina (O.S.): **Good luck there; out.

The slant-shape Pelican dropship lowered itself, and dropped off the M5A2 tank to the ground. The Schwarzkopf, or M5A2 for short, was painted in urban-digital pattern camouflage. Mickey, Romeo, and Dutch, with their anti-vehicle armaments, climbed up on top of the main gun turret.

Rookie approached the M5A2 tank, having no idea what to operate; drive or shoot?

**Buck: **You're good with the rail gunner Rookie?

**Rookie: **Sure thing; I'll take that job.

Rookie climbed up with the help of the Mickey and Dutch. When Buck hopped inside the driver seat, Rookie jumped inside the main turret.

**Captain Dare: **Hey wait up!

Dare got inside with Rookie, assigning herself to operate the diamond-modeled chain gun. On the south multiple-lanes, Sergeant Foley and his Rangers were inside the Fastback IFV, ready to company their tank.

The bridge stretches out in front of them, with the Goliath's head stinking down as it made it to the western side of the city. The burning skyline with the Covenant Assault Carrier hovering over it is visible in the distance. The bridge is strewn with the wreckage of cars, trucks and buses. A multitude of Brute Choppers patrol whole the bridge, as well as Stalkers.

**Dutch: **Choppers, coming through.

Choppers charged down, preparing their assault on Rookie's tank. Rookie aimed his straight eyes on one of the reckless Choppers, and hit the trigger. The M5A2's main gun blazed itself with blue flash of sparks, as its supreme kinetic ballistic impact the Chopper into pieces.

Dare, Mickey, Dutch, and the 75th Ranger Hawk Team, joined Rookie's assault power on the useless Brute cycles, throwing penetrating chain gun rounds and laser/rocket combination attack.

**Mickey: **Yeah! Let's take out those mother fuckers!

Stalkers crawled down and attacked the Fastback, before getting punched by M5A2's powerful rail cannon. After the Stalker was being explode into bits from the kinetic impact, the ODSTs and the Rangers advanced forward.

About near ¾ of the bridge, Rookie was about to duel with a non-Chimeran vehicle. A red-purple stain hover tank was in front of Rookie's target scope; it has its mortar cannon at the back and twin plasma cannons at the front.

**Buck: **Hey, what's that? That doesn't look Chimeran made.

Rookie quickly fired his rail-cannon at the unidentified tank. The hover tank took damaged before it's fired its mortar plasma cannon. The ball of plasma fire filed in arced flight and crashed almost near the M5A2. He quickly fired again, and the hover tank was destroyed.

**Serina (O.S.): **Glad you finish off...the tank you finished off was the Covenant's Assault Gun Carriage, known as the _Wraith_. It's armed with Plasma Mortar, which its role could be an assault tank or artillery.

**Mickey: **Well too bad; he lose.

They later encounter more Choppers, and this time the ODSTs and Rangers bombarded them with chain gun and other heavy weapons. Three Prowlers showed up, but wouldn't survive Rookie's rail gun. He took down every single Prowler before they got closer to inflict damage on him.

About halfway across, Hunter Drones swooped in for an attack from both sides, and three Chimeran dropships fly by, deploying troops and another Covenant Wraith tank.

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **Enemy air unit above; don't let them flank us!

Rookie turned his main gun turret's noise to the butt of the Chimeran dropship on the left side. He fired at it and the dropship felled into the river ocean. The Hunter Drone got into Rookie's target screen.

**Mickey: **I'll handle it guys.

Mickey lifted his SPRNK rocket launcher at the Hunter Drone. His target-locking system was activated when his target on his screen view surround the Hunter Drone's minigun joint. The targeting system created beat-noises; Mickey fired his rocket, speeding into the Hunter Drone and blasted it.

Captain Dare kept smacking the Hunter Drone with the M5A2 chain gun until it was torn apart. The Chimeran dropship, from the other side, rained on the Rangers' Fastback with charge bolts. Rangers fight back with their TOW missiles and chain gun combined. They finished off the dropship in time, watching it crashed into the water.

The ODST-Ranger joint advancement touched down to the end of the bridge after pushing the Brute Choppers and Prowlers away from their sights. As they made their approach to another highway tunnel, a group of Hunter Drones flies in over the rooftops.

**Captain Dare: **That's quite a welcome party.

With the chain guns of the M5A2 and the Fastback, they fired rounds from the ground to the Hunter Drones. The Hunter Drones attack from above, despite taking causalities. Rounds of anti-air brought all the drones down to the Cosmo grounds.

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **Move up!

A pack of Choppers skitter into view and open fire on the M5A2 tank and the Fastback. They outnumbered the choppers in seconds, but the Choppers were soon joined by a pair of Wraith tanks which came in from the nearby highway tunnel, as well as another pair of Hunter Drones.

Rookie focused on the Wraith Tank o the left side, and attacked it with his rail cannon. With the Fastback's distraction on the other Wraith, he double attack to burned the Wraith into junks with plasma flames. It was a long fight with the Wraith and the Hunter Drones.

After Rookie and the others finished the remaining with relief, they made through the finish line. They entered the highway tunnel meeting little Chimeran and Brute resistances.

**Serina (O.S.): **Glad you made it to the western city. There is an exist few metres away from your position...I detect reports of US marines being scattered by Chimeran troops, and the Goliath was making its way to the museum.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **How do we stop that robotic monster thing?

**Serina (O.S.): **Still unknown... But meet with the 405th Division, A-Company near Kizingo Boulevard. They'll need your assistance on taking out the Goliath... Just fight your way through the city, assist some marines, and find A-Company.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Roger that.

Buck found a right-side exist lane and took that path. They existed on deserted road of Kizingo Boulevard, crowded with buildings and plazas. Just as they reached a junction, a LMV backed up from the west side at high speed, followed by a few US Marines, with their similar armour as the Rangers.

One of the marines found the ODST's M5A2, and Rookie stared at the soldier with his target screen.

**Marine One: **Hey; this way! Move!

**Mickey: **What's going on?

**Marine Two: **Take a guess, genius!

Mickey jumped off and walked out into the street, confused; just before a collapsing building come into view. The Goliath's foot tackle through debrie of dust, and smacked into a ground, causing the whole area to shake. The shake pushed Mickey down to the floor. The Goliath turned west and continues walking.

**Mickey: **Ah!

Mickey then got up.

**Mickey: **Son of a gun!

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Get back on the tank Mick!

Mickey climbed back on the tank with Romeo giving him a hand. Buck drove them to the east side of Kizingo Boulevard to tail-gate the marines. They counter Chimeran camp spots at a plaza with Chimeran resistances and Brutes.

**Marine One (O.S.): **We got a squad of Marines pinned down, far corner in the next plaza. It's packed with Chimeran forces, so once you come in, don't stop movin'."

Rookie fired the main gun, and bombed the group of hostiles with a single kinetic strike. The Rangers' Fastback, from behind the tank, opened its hatch and deployed Rangers to aid the Marines. After eliminating all enemy forces in that area, they started to move on.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Have any of you know the A-Company somewhere on this street?

**Marine One (O.S.): **Yeah; we're meeting them at the Marine Outpost centre but they're being rain by enemy tanks...Follow me.

The marines guide the ODSTs and the Rangers along the wavy road hills of boulevard. Abandoned civilian vehicles were scattered everywhere, ready to be crushed by the M5A2 Schwarzkopf MBT. Trees were lined up down on either side of the side walk, including moon shape lamp posts.

Next Plaza, another Chimeran camp; guarded by a group of trio Brute Choppers, Chimeran Ravagers, guard towers, and even a stand-alone Wraith. In spite of the distraction from the Choppers, Rookie focus on damaging the Wraith, while Mickey and Dutch blast the Choppers.

It took Rookie to pull the trigger twice to tear off bits of the Wraith's hulls and leave the tank in blue flames. The Rangers' Fastback, meanwhile, had fun with shooting the Chimeran Hybrids and Ravagers, and explosive containers that were used to be for fuel.

**Marine One: **We`re getting close to the rally point guys; keep moving.

Once they made it to the rally point on the left side after the plaza, they come upon a Marine outpost that is under siege by a trio of Wraith tanks, and Chimeran Sharpshooters at a pedestrian bridge, while a fellow group of Marines and another Fastback valiantly defends.

**Buck (O.S.): **There are Marines trapped inside that building, guys. Concentrate on the Wraiths, they're the biggest threat.

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **Dunn, McCord; take out those tanks.

**Corporal Dunn (O.S.), Javelin: **Working on it.

Both Dunn and Private McCord shouldered their Javelin anti-tank missile launchers. Their eyes on the targeting system screen carried the rectangular-shape target on one of the chosen Wraiths. With the target placed on the Wraith, their Javelins beats one,...twice,...and vertical and horizontal lines cross the target as an indication of lock-on activation.

Dunn and McCord both fired their Javelins upward; their missiles "pops out" of the launch tube and ignited in mid-air. The missile then rocketed skyward to an appropriate angle from which to hit their targets at about a 90 degree angle. Two targeted Wraith got impacted from the sky and were destroyed in a single strike.

A Chimeran dropship, appeared from nowhere, delivered a pair of Brute Choppers, but they are neutralized easily by the combined support fire from the Fastback and the two Javelin operators from the Marine Outpost.

After a long elimination against the Chimeran/Brute resistance; the whole placed were quiet and clean.

**Captain Dare: **Eagle Team; There is a Marine Command Post in that building. We'll need to help them deal with the Goliath.

Buck nodded and drove their M5A2 tank to near the opening entrance of the marine outpost. Several marines meet the tank once parked. The rest of the Rangers, with the exception from the Fastback, got inside and stair up to the second floor.

Captain Dare, Rookie, and Buck got out from their hatches, and Mickey and Dutch jump off.A Pelican showed up from above their heads, delivering an addition of the M5A2 Tank. A marine run up with the ODSTs to greet them.

**Corporal****Perez****, ACR with Red Dot Sight:** ODSTs! Corporal Perez, A-Company! CP's this way! The Lieutenant got hit as soon as we dropped in.

Perez lead the ODSTs inside the outpost, but Captain Dare halted.

**Captain Dare: **This is Captain Dare here. Who's in charge now, Corporal?

Perez turned around and faced Dare's faceplate.

**Corporal Perez:** Uh, Sergeant Banks, sir. He's up top. Come on, I'll show you.

Rookie and the ODST Eagle Team followed Perez up the heavily guarded stairs to a balcony overlooking the streets where they fought the Wraith tanks. Four minigun instalments were placed along the balcony with marines operating them.

Looking the streets, marines hopped on the M5A2 tank that Rookie operated and joined the other tank into their positions. James Ramirez, Foley, Dunn, and McCord could be seen regrouping the right side with their Fastback.

Perez joined up with Sergeant Banks with Dare. Banks is an African-US marine with no helmet, and he's armed with his SCAR with ACOG sight.

**Sergeant Banks: **Glad you guys made it in time for Goliath knockdown... When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think you guys send Rangers with you...

Fog of debrie was puffed suddenly from the side of Kizingo Boulevard, plus a rumbling surface. The Goliath is here.

**Sergeant Banks:** We got trouble!

Packs of marines get their rockets, Javelin missiles, tanks, and IFVs aimed and steady. The whole figure of the Goliath appeared, and its body turned towards the brave marines. Before its trio-golden eyes stared at the two M5A2 tanks, a massive impact on its back pushed it bent-forward. A Wombat UAV flied over the tilting Goliath and it tilt back into position.

**Rookie: **That doesn't look enough.

When two M5A2s fired their rail guns twice, with little effect, the Goliath aimed its twin enormous missile pods, and launched a missile from each side. Both demolished on the double tanks, blown into a burning scrap. The giant Goliath marched towards the base.

**Marine Two (O.S.):** See this look?! It's terror! (Dialog Placeholder) Alright, this is the shit.

**Sergeant Banks (O.S.):** Marine, did I give you permission to bitch?! Open fire!

All marines, Rangers, and Mike and Dutch attack the Goliath. Javelin missiles, sparing rounds of miniguns, and rockets start pounding on the Goliath armour as Fastbacks' rounds of chain guns and TOW missiles combined the assault. Still however, it had less effect on that walking monster.

**Sergeant Banks:** I don't think its stopping; get your heads down!

**Romeo: **Guys, this way.

Everyone on the balcony followed Romeo, leading to a safe building on the right. The slide door Romeo found slide open for the marines to jump into safety. All the marines were, and the ODSTs got in last; except Rookie.

The whole place rumbled as the Goliath got closer and closer. Rookie head stared at the Goliath's left leg, and he quickly run inside. With a big "jump and land", just before the slide door shuts, a massive shake smoke dust behind and the ceiling and lights flashes in seconds. The shake made Rookie's head dizzy as he shut his eyes.

The unpredictable quake kept smoking debrie, until the Goliath passed by. The quake died down calmly, and Dare helped Rookie stand up. Sergeant Banks ran outside without caution. He ended up with some crumbs of concrete and metal.

**Sergeant Banks:** That thing is really starting to **PISS ME OFF**!

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Sergeant Foley, are you guys all right?

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **(Cough) We're...ok miss.

**Serina (O.S.): **Eagle Team; the Goliath is heading towards the museum; stop that machine before it reaches.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Roger that...everyone, time to kill that Goliath!

Rookie, Dare, Buck, Dutch, Romeo, and Mickey got out from the building. Perez was on the third floor, near a warehouse.

**Corporal Perez**: ODSTs! It's over here...We placed high-explosive charge under the ground; just north from here.

**Buck: **Good thing; once ignited we'll have time to figure out how to pin down that thing.

The ODSTs entered the large warehouse in pursuit of the Goliath. They run up the stair wells and through halls until they end up on a series of walkways above a large pedestrian street. The Goliath marched through the walkways, chopping off each of them.

**Corporal Perez: **It's getting close; the trapped should be set at the Pamela Plaza.

Pamela Plaza was home to city's most famous special events. It widens 135metres diametre, enough space for dozens of audiences and a trap for the Goliath. Perez and the ODST continue chasing it along the sidewalk.

**Corporal Perez (O.S.): **Parker this is Perez; see the Goliath?

**Parker (O.S.): **Yeah I see it.

**Corporal Perez (O.S.): **Get your charge ready to flick.

The Goliath was getting close to the Pamela Plaza. The C4 explosive charges were set under the plaza, each column in the 20 metre deep underground shopping centre. The ODSTs stopped and wait for the Goliath to get trapped; going near the 150 metre tall Goliath was suicidal.

**Parker (O.S.): **Perez; its stepping on the plaza... setting the charge.

Steadily patient, Goliath's foot stomped one at a time. Right in the middle of the plaza, charge explosions circle around it. The plaza sinks down along the Goliath, and blazed with clouds concrete dust.

**Captain Dare: **We got it!

As the smoke slowly dissolves, the Goliath could be seen, still standing on its feet. It was struggling get back up to surface, but too deep to get out.

**Serina (O.S.): **Nicely done Eagle Team; sending another Wombat missile strike.

Sonic zoom echoed the whole air; the Wombat UAV's missile charged down from the north east and smacks the Goliath's back. The Wombat passed by, and left the back of the Goliath collapsed to the roads of Cosmo. A steaming heat-gold cylinder poked out from the Goliath's back.

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Serina; something is sticking out of Goliath's back.

**Serina (O.S.): **The cylinder you're seeing is one of its energy battery power sources. There are three of them, and by eliminating all of the three batteries, the Goliath will self-destructed.

**Buck: **All right then; let's get to work.

Dutch and Mickey nodded to Buck, and run through the walkway bridge to the eastern building of the Pamela plaza. Rookie followed them, despite the fear of standing near the monstrous Goliath. Meeting up with Dutch and Mickey, the Goliath moved and shook the building edges of the plaza. Mickey collapsed himself hard, and Dutch suddenly dropped his non-linear rifle off the walkway.

**Dutch: **No, my gun!

It was getting too dangerous for Rookie; so he stole Mickey rocket launcher and aimed it at the Goliath's battery source. The target automatically locked, giving him a "go" sign. Rookie fired the ballistic rocket, and it followed it battery's heat source.

The ballistic rocket impact the Goliath's battery that formed an ignition and a blast force against the bending Goliath.

**Mickey: **Rookie you nail it!

Rookie radioed to Captain Dare. The next battery source was raised as the Goliath stood up.

**Rookie: **Dare, I hit the weak spot. The second battery showed already...

The body of the Goliath turned itself in lagging motion towards Rookie's position. It was about to fired on him, along with Dutch and Mickey.

**Rookie: **Oh...no...Guys move! Get out of here.

Rookie runs his life to the northern building, and Mickey and Dutch tailgated him. A touch down through the northern building entrance, a blast of debrie rumbled down, melted by Goliath's charging cannons.

**Captain Dare (O.S.):** Guys, are you there?

**Rookie (O.S.): **Yeah, we're fine; proceeding to the next target.

Mickey surrendered his rocket ammunition to Rookie so he could reload before taking down the Goliath's second battery. Rookie pushed through the doors to the balcony and saw the Goliath staring where he was used to be.

Rookie locked on and fired his rocket, flying towards the battery and impacted it with explosions. The Goliath almost trembled down.

**Rookie: **Now move!

Rookie, Dutch, and Mickey fled before the Goliath targets them. They entered to the western building of the Pamela plaza after crossing another walkway bridge. Rookie grabbed another rocket from Mickey, and reloads his rocket launcher.

**Mickey: **Show whose boss FNG.

The Goliath fired the northern building, burning it down into hills of building material. The last exhausting battery power system was already released; a big chance to take down the Goliath.

Levelling Rookie's rocket launcher and aiming at the Goliath's battery, the target locked on and he finally pull the trigger. The rocket launched and flared towards the heating battery. It smacked against the Goliath's battery's surface, and it boiled into red-orange flame. The flame spread over the body of the trembling Goliath. Within few seconds, the Goliath fell sideways on the eastern side of the plaza.

**Dutch: **Yes, we did it!

**Captain Dare (O.S.): **Serina, Overlord; the Goliath is finally neutralized...

**Serina (O.S.): **But we're too late now. The Forerunner ACS module was gravity lifted into the Covenant vessel, and we got to followed it now!

Couldn't believe Rookie and his ODST Eagle Team spend their energy and time of taking down that monster, and did not stop the Chimera and the Covenant from transporting the ACS module.

**Overlord (O.S.): **All members of the Special Operation Command, reported back to _Set and Dawn_ vessel ASAP!

The Vulture dropship arrived just in time to pick up Rookie, Dutch, and Mickey before the rest.

**Serina (O.S.): **Be advise, the Covenant vessel is going to jump; I repeat, its going to jump!


	5. Chapter 3 continued: Massive Effect

**NAV Officer****:** Sir, Slipspace rupture off the target's bow! It's going to jump, _inside_ the city!

**Overlord: **What? Inside?...Serina, get someone a immediately emergency protocol to everyone to evacuate the whole city.

**Serina: **Negative...the Covenant vessel is about to jump in a minute.

**NAV Officer: **All Special Forces team are on board sir.

**Overlord: **Good. Punch it now! Get us close!

**NAV Officer: **But sir, without a destination solution...

**Overlord: **We're not losing that ship! Do it!

* * *

[Selecting Video Record 3]

[Playing]

[Date: Oct. 31, 2552]

[Location: Cosmo City, Cheyenne, Atlantic]

**Recorder: **Hey, can see that Sarah?

**Sarah: **Yeah that ship is about to move.

You watch the Covenant Assault Carrier fleeing from the city, recording on the opposite side of the large river where the bridge crossed over. Few US marines and civilians blocked your view until they pass by.

**Recorder: **Did anyone know what that ship is?

The recorder pointed the Covenant Assault Carrier. He never saw that kind of ship before, nothing besides the Chimeran cruiser. The Chimeran cruiser was bigger than the insect-like Covenant vessel, but actually taller.

As the Covenant Assault Carrier start to accelerate, a purple glow appeared in front of the ship. A black triangular shape could be seen next to it; the SOCOM-class Set_ and Dawn_ was about to jump in with the Assault Carrier.

Everyone on the video stop chatting and moving, and watch the glowing Slipstream growing its huge size.

**Sarah: **OMG, is that what I think it is?

**Marine: **(Shook his head) Man it can't... Everyone inside! Move!

All of the marines and the civilians rushed out of the screen to find an underground for cover. Sarah did the same, except the recorder.

**Marine: **Come on damn it! Let's go!

The recorder got dragged by the marine, and knocked the camera view down. You could now see it sideways. The Assault Carrier enters the Slipspace, dwarfing _Set and Dawn_.

A massive light of EMP wave engulf the whole city, and the whole camera view shook as it got closer and closer. A truck and a car flew pass over, and a massive white light collided into your view. The whole screen then became black and white; all you could receive is white noise.


	6. Chapter 4: Blue Storm

It was twelve days before the ODST Hawk Team's operation in Avro started. Four British-European men were sitting silently and patiently around the hologram table, waiting for the commander to arrive. All of those honoured, prepared men were the knights of the 23rd Special Land Service. They were here to join the European Union's 12th Naval Fleet, slipstream jumping to an unknown location.

Sergeant Gary _Roach _Sanderson played around his gloved-fingers together, thinking about the new objective for their long Human-Chimera war. Chimera was not the only they're facing however. There were rumours about their new rivals of the war, and if that's so, everything we'll get even bloodier than ever before.

Right beside Roach was his squad leader, Captain _Soap _MacTavish. His first name was missing for some reason-probably classified. Soap was Roach's best well-known captain since he joined the SLS, few years before the Human-Chimera War. He was once the private soldier of the SAS trained very hard to push his useless limit.

The SAS, SLS, and other special forces of Europe that were still active, since the 21st century, were under the command of the Enforcer Corp. The Enforcer Corp. was one of the best Special Forces in the human world, despite the slight debate with the US's Orbital Drop shock Troopers and other of its counterparts.

The slide door opened, letting a Lieutenant enter the room. Roach, Captain Soap, and the others stood up and salute. The slide door closed behind the Lieutenant's back; known as General Steven Cartwright.

**General Stephen: **Gentlemen, welcome to the 12th Fleet. You are here to be escorted to a stress signal.

The hologram screen warmed up in blue light, flicking out files of their new mission.

**General Stephen: **We made an emergency contact from the Atlantis Expedition through our Stargate. Chimera made our new rival of this war.

The Stargate was the Forerunner's oldest transport technology. It was a ring shape-structure that requires punching an address into to form a worm hole between the two planets. The Atlantis Expedition used that transportation system to recover the Forerunner's Atlantis ship.

**Captain Soap: **Who will it be sir?

General Stephen used his hand to pull out one of the files. A file revealed grouped photos of human-form robotics with their weapons armed. Everyone, including Roach, became very curious; never seem them before, just like they encounter the Chimera in the first place.

**General Stephen: **Gentlemen, these are the new enemies we're about to face. They were the army of a cartel empire, known as the _Hahne-Kedar_. The Atlantis Expedition team code named them the _Trade Empire_.

**SLS one: **I'll stick with Trade Empire name; it's a better name.

**Captain Soap: **That's what we going for Gaza...What are those robots up to?

**General Stephen: **The Atlantis Expedition reported that their empire was massive, and old. They occupied any planet for resource as goods, and they control the trade between several worlds. Chimera made a partnership with them for one thing: better weapons.

**Roach: **So where are we going now?

**General Stephen: **Follow the course.

Stephen presented a course, connecting from Earth. He traced along the line to an Earth-like planet. It's mostly shown green areas of land, while small oceans were in between.

**General Stephen: **Planet _Waelth'e_

**Captain Soap: **(Lightly shook his head) Never heard of it sir.

A masked SLS, with his red sunglass and skull patterned balaclava, analysed closer to the illustrated planet. His name: Sergeant Simon _Ghost _Riley, Gaz's twin brother.

**General Stephen: **It's the capital of the _Monarch_ Kingdom before the Trade Empire takes over.

**Sergeant Ghost: **Who's the Monarch Kingdom?

**General Stephen: **The wealthy human-civilization of _Waelth'e_.

_**Gaz **_**Riley: **Humans? Very funny sir...

**General Stephen: **It's not a joke Gaz, but I'm not sure if they are born there, and immigrated through Stargate.

Lt. Stephen checked his cover digital watch; the rest did the same.

**General Stephen: **Seven minutes guys; the air is best fit, let's go.

Everyone departs from the room. Roach gained up with Captain Soap.

**Roach: **Sir...is he sure there're humans down there?

**Captain Soap: **Well one way to find out.

**Charlie, Don't Surf**

**Day (-12) – 1:40:15**

**City in the Eastern Shore **_**Waelth'e **_**(Unknown System)**

**Sergeant Gary **_**Roach **_**Sanderson**

**Enforcer Corp's 23****rd**** Special Land Service (Beta Knights)**

Roach, Soap, Gaz, and Ghost were sitting down inside the roaring EC220 Gadfly dropship, with the other two Corporals; Rankin and Harris. They all wore naval ballistic armour and high-tech helmets. The whole dropship tilted around, facing wind turbulence. Later, it returned to its normal level, and its air-barrier slide door opened, releasing fresh air of planet _Waelth'e._

**Ghost: **Not bad... the air is very fresh.

**Roach: **Smells like it's better than the one from Earth.

Roach looked down at the blue ocean as the whole Gadfly dropship lowered its altitude to join up the fleet of other dropships. It was beautiful, the clear-fresh ocean with a large sea creature as a size of Earth's largest whales.

**General Stephen (O.S.): **Beta Knights! Spotters have a possible fix on the Atlantis Expedition Team in a monastery building at the west end of Monarch's city-some kind of a city hall. While we're gonna secure the whole city, you guys gonna rescue the team, and get them out of there.

**Captain Soap: **Listen up guys, the Trade Empire droids are cheap knock-offs, but they're dozens of them down there. Don't let them underestimate us... Lock and load!

Roach, Ghost, and Captain Soap grabbed and load up their E2000 ATAC bullpup assault rifles. Its sexy-ergonomic surface design and reliability made Roach's favourite gun. Their assault rifles were dressed with Red Dot sight and attachable grenade launchers.

**Corporal Harris, with ****FMS HG2 Battle Rifle, w/ACOG Sight and Masterkey Shotgun: **Hey, check it out.

Everyone looked outside, and checked out the view of an ancient city near the edge of the shores. The buildings with dome roofs were as artistic as Earth's counterparts in Venice, Italy, though decorated with gold material.

All the Gadfly dropships separated from incoming fire from the city. From below, the EU ampibillious vehicles charged towards the beach to deploy their ground forces. _Hailstorm _fighters roared from above, rain the city down with ground-strike missiles.

**Gadfly pilot (O.S.): **Hang on tight men!

The pilot of the Gadfly dropship made large dodges from incoming energy and missile fire. Few of the dropships fought back by using the operative miniguns on the sides. The pilot stopped dodging once they escape from anti-air fires, and made a complete hovering mode once cleared.

**Gadfly pilot (O.S.): **Drop here Captain?

**Captain Soap: **Affirmative...everyone let's go.

Corporal Rankin, with both of his Boudini 12 Gauge Shotgun and Galilean Non-linear Rifle "_Spartan Laser"_ on his back, dropped several ropes down to the smooth ground. Once touchdown, everyone grabbed the ropes and rappel themselves down. They end in an alley between hard-gold stone structures.

**Captain Soap: **Follow my lead!

The SLS Beta Knights followed Soap along the road. At the end, they discovered a plaza with a 12 metres tall luxurious water fountain. Just before they continued to proceed, ten Trade Empire droids ambushed from the building at the front of Roach's eyes. They stood six-foot tall, skinny-humanoid form. Their armour skeletons were painted grey plates and red warmed LED lines.

**Ghost: **Are those the one?

**Captain Soap: **They better be, let's bring them down.

Roach fired his E2000 assault fire, launching ammunitions in high rate of fire and better recoil. They took covered behind the fountain, despite the water window. Droids fired back with their own slim-bulky rifles, splitting out plasma bolts.

The bullets from the Beta Knight veterans smacked right through the battle droids' armour without its own stopping power. Damages had caused the droids to lose function and later collapsed; even their head-shape monitors could be teared off by Harris's three round burst FMS AG2 bull-pup assault rifle.

The whole Beta Knights, except Captain Soap, were amazed, but odd. They knock all the droids in just a few seconds without inaccurate shots.

**Gaz: **That's easy.

**Roach: **Like Soap says, they're cheap knock offs.

**Captain Soap: **Don't forget this men; they many of them here. Even since they're maybe under the command tactic, some of them could be start...Let's keep moving.

Soap was right; each droids were well programmed and could possibly be maintained their skills by upgrades. Worse of all was, there're maybe more varieties other than the ones they fought.

Continuing their escort around the fountain and off the plaza, they're more droids loitering around. Roach and Ghost both fired their grenade launchers at the same time, and the grenades blasted the droids into junks of pieces.

**Corporal Rankin, with Boudini 12 Gauge Shotgun: **Well more of that come from.

**Captain Soap:** Beta Knights on me to the target building! Move!

They fight their way through the army of droids with the help of some European soldiers and airstrikes. Several minute of fighting, the SLS Beta Knights could proceed to the building they're looking for; a monastery palace with four small domes ceilings around the middle large one and tall thick doors with flora markings.

**Captain Soap: **There's the target building! Front door breach! Stack up!

Harris ran up the exterior stairs, divided by statues, and got his charge stacked on the doors.

**Captain Soap: **Blow the charge!

The charge blasted into plain dust.

**Captain Soap: **Go Go Go!

Roach and the others level armed and tackle through the smoke. They fired up their ammunitions and took down several battle droids, plus two Chimeran Hybrids.

**Ghost: **Bloody yanks-those Chimeras are looking for deals...let's split up.

**Captain Soap: **(nodded) Right Ghost...Roach follow me.

Captain Soap guide Roach up the stairs, while Ghost and Gaz go together to the left hall. Rankin and Harris took the right hall.

Both Soap and Roach alone check corners and rooms for any random ambush. Roach felt like they're on a tour. Walls, ceilings, floors, they were all decorated as beautiful as European interior architecture.

Reach up to the second; they checked both halls in fast reaction...no enemies.

**Roach: **Let's check the right hall...There's an opening wall we could took a peak.

**Captain Soap: **Right.

Roach and Soap walked silently to the opening wall. They both took a peak to observe opening scene. The whole scenery looked like they're in a church while the room was built in cylinder size.

Looking down, five men, in black battle-vests, were surrounded by battle droids, Chimeran Hybrids and a small-skull head looking Slip skulls, and the two mysterious humanoid droids. Both had flashlight heads and their bodies were shorter and slighter than the human counterpart.

**Roach: **Who are those two?

**Captain Soap: **No idea.

Soap found two double doors behind the guards. He radioed to Ghost and Harris.

**Captain Soap: **This is Soap...find the door doors and set the charge. Don't charge until I say.

**Ghost (O.S.): **Roger, we're on it.

**Captain Soap: **Roach, get your flash bang ready.

**Roach: **What if it has no effect on them, except the Chimeras.

Captain Soap didn't answer, but he's right anyways. If flash bangs had no effect on the droids, it will be a fatal mistake.

**Ghost (O.S.): **Ghost here, we got the charge set.

**Captain Soap: **Good; on my mark.

Roach, despite his question, squeeze and hold his flash bang tube. Soap and Roach peak out until they could see the battle droids about to aim their rifles at the hostages.

**Captain Soap: **Now!

Roach and Soap throw the flash bangs over the edge. They took cover as their flash bangs explode into a flash. Double doors exploded, and they could hear projection fire.

**Gaz (O.S.): **We're clear!

**Captain Soap: **Nice work knights, meet you down.

Soap and Roach head down stairs, and search an entrance to the Atlantis Expedition Team's standing point. While regrouped, Roach looked down at the slim-insect droids. He compared that those flash-light enemies were very different to the battle droids.

**Atlantis Expedition Team member, with P190 PDW, w/Red Dot sight: **Thank god you guys show up.

**Captain Soap: **You guys alright?

**Atlantis Expedition Team member: **Not yet; we need to find and rescue the Monarch soldiers. If we do, they can help you guys to handle this whole situation.

**Captain Soap: **That will be a perfect opportunity; as long as you guys are alive...I'm Captain Soap.

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Sergeant Gordon, I'm the lead of this team...We better get going. I'll show where the soldiers are.

**Ghost: **Lead the way then.

Sergeant Gordon and his men charged out through the double doors, and Roach and the other Beta Knights followed them. By the time the Atlantis team got out, they quickly got back in from incoming fire. A squad of battle droids opened fired, along with some Chimeran Hybrids.

**Roach: **We're being blocked.

**Captain Soap: **Gryphon-Four, we're taking heavy fire; requesting air support near the four dome roof building.

_**Hailstorm **_**Strike fighter pilot: **Roger, going hot.

Everyone stood away from the swarms of plasma bolts. A sonic zoom grew louder, and an air strike shook the whole building with no dust being spilled.

**Ghost: **Good; we're clear.

But by the time Ghost step right out of the building, a Chimera's Attack Drone appeared from nowhere. The Attack Drone was large, heavily armed and armoured, and also shielded with its own bubble barrier around it. It fired it twin charge bolts in fast rate, but Ghost escape before getting a chase of being hit.

**Roach: **Bloody hell, that Attack Drone is killing us.

**Captain Soap: **Rankin, use your Spartan Laser to kill it off.

Corporal Rankin switched his shotgun with his non-linear Spartan Laser rifle, and bravery step in to get the target. With the Attack Drone on his target, Rankin pressed the trigger, and his cannon launched a red beam of light drill the drone's shield. The beam flashed into nothing; the Attack Drone still stands, with the expectation of a smashed-hole of its shield.

**Rankin: **Its shield is still holding.

**Captain Soap: **Keep fighting.

After Rankin's Spartan Laser had cool down and charged in four seconds, he fired again. The laser line sting the Attack Drone's yellow eyes, and the whole body was melted by boiling red bubbles.

**Rankin: **Nail that one!

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Good, follow me.

With the guidance and the support of the Atlantis Expedition Team, Beta Knight formed them together to fight their way through the streets. Their armour-piercing bullets shred of the battle droids' hulls that blocked their way. EU forces were everywhere, giving them a good advantage to get to the objective point.

**Captain Soap: **So when did you guys arrived?

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Two days ago Soap; this was our random destination to trade for the ZMP power source for our Atlantis Ship so we can get it out of the ocean surface. We don't know this place was occupied by the _Hahne-Kedar _Empire. I was a big discovery.

**Roach: **This city; built by humans?

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Surprisingly yes; I'll introduce them after we get out of this damn mess.

After few minutes of fighting the battle droids, Chimeras, and of course, some Brutes, the Beta Knights end up at near the pyramid shape architect. Standing three floors high, this building was constructed with gold, crystals, and gems of _Waeth'e._

**Atlantis sergeant Gordon: **There it is; that were the Monarch soldiers were kept; Hostage by battle droids.

**Captain Soap: **Squad get in position and breach.

Ghost stacked the charge on the hard wooden door as everyone got back against the walls.

**Captain Soap: **Do it!

**Ghost: **Breaching.

The door breached, throwing wooden pieces into the thin air.

**Captain Soap: **GO GO GO!

Roach and Gaz charged in first and fired their weapons at the battle droids. Ghost and the result stepped in, with the whole room secured. As the whole room become dustless and clear, Roach was astonished; there were seven humans, but three humanoid reptilians.

The seven Caucasian men wore private naval uniforms including mixed dark brown and brown leathers jackets and pants with gold lines, and forage caps. One of them wore a peaked cap, decorated with black belt and a symbol of Monarch in the middle. The three reptilians wore different, as they had flexible brown armour with gold flora-drawings, and helmets that fit their long curved tube projected upwards and back of their heads.

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Dea'lc, are ye men all right?

**Captain Dea'lc: **Mêlée Gordon.

**Captain Soap: **They speak English?

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Yeah, but their way of communication is different. It's complicated.

So they're maybe from Earth before they got here from Stargate; right? Roach was not sure. All he could find out was just ask.

**Captain Dea'lc: **Our Majasti' was cast away by the Hahne-Kedar cadets. We're not aware where our Majasti' is.

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **He meant the queen Soap...If you guys are plan to take their kingdom back, then you're gonna get help from us.

**Captain Soap: **(nodded) alright then... (Radioed to General Stephen) Command, this is Soap. The Atlantis Expedition Team and the Monarch soldiers have been secured. The Atlantis Team had the knowledge about the situation here about the Trade; we decided to demand a permission to take the Atlantis Team with us...Thank sir, Soap out.

Looks like they gonna have to baby sit the Atlantis guys for a long-long time.


	7. Chapter 5: The Captiol Part 1

A black active screen popped out in front of you, and opened a map of the city near the shores where Roach and the SLSs were. Gadfly dropships and other military vehicle units advance from the eastern city all along towards the capital city of the full Monarch Kingdom. It took almost five days of operation to secure every enemy position before a chance to reach the capital.

**Captain Soap MacTavish:** Everything is going well; time to move on.

He then opened the images, preparing to present the Monarch's great centuries before the _Trade Empire's_ control.

**Captain Soap: **Long history about the Monarch. All started back 10,000 years ago after humans were born on _Waelth'e_...They're all Caucasian background, despite the tropical environment.

During the discovery of gold minerals, Monarchs used them to create anything they could; palaces, tools, treasury...They quickly expand their empire across the planet, defeating every native race in their path.

110 years later, the Forerunner's Stargate was revealed. The Monarchs explore every planet and civilizations while immigrants came to their planet. They were surprised when they met other humans from Earth, mostly from Europe and the Middle East. That's how English got to them, despite some changes made.

After 230 years, the Monarch Kingdom began to expand again across different planets with their own made ship vessels. They dominated every planet they explored, all under control of the royal family of the Monarch; the natives, they were discriminated.

Then, things didn't go well. The whole Monarch royal family had many conflicts between each other, sparked by internal rumours and kingdom takeover. They were later been separated from one and another, leading a dissolution of the Monarch Kingdom.

Few years before today, the Trade Empire showed up; taking over all of Monarch's colonies and then their capital. The Monarchs were used as force labour, under Trade and their stakeholder's control.

The images were dissolved, marking the end of the presentation. Next, the map screen zoomed into 3-D view towards the land and air EU units fighting for the capital city of Capitol.

**Captain Soap: **Now, we're going to bring back the whole Monarch to bring down the Trade Empire. Once the Trade Empire was finish, the Chimera will stand alone.

**The Capitol **

**Day (-7) – 5:03:15**

**The Capitol city, **_**Waelth'e **_**(Hal System)**

**Sergeant Gary **_**Roach **_**Sanderson**

**Enforcer Corp's 23****rd**** Special Land Service (Beta Knights)**

Roach, with his E2000 assault rifle, Captain Soap, and his other four men were now at the end of a road sometime near dusk, a bit darker than normal with burning buildings and plasma fire lighten the sky. Most of the buildings were close-demolished by air-strikes or tank fire. The road was sprinkled with craps of building stones.

**General Stephen Cartwright (O.S.): **Roger on location. Repeating: Map Grid 52761-niner, over.

**Captain Soap, with E2000 AIAC, w/ Holographic sight and grenade launcher:**Beta Knight copies, over.

**General Stephen (O.S.)**: Beta Knight, we have a Panther dead in the water. Call sign "Dragon-Wolf"; Captain Soap, your unit is shotgun, over.

**Captain Soap**: Copy. Beta is inbound. Tell "Dragon-Wolf" to stand by. We're on our way. Out.

Roach and the Beta Knights' ears catch some sonic echoes, and they looked up at the _PGH-6 Cheetah_ gunships flying over their helmets.

**Captain Soap**: The Atlantis Team and Alpha Company's tank is stuck few a click north of here. We gotta hustle! Let's go!

**Sergeant Ghost, with KP12 PDW, w/ Red Dot Sight and Spartan Laser Rifle: **Move! Move! Move!

And again, they wore naval ballistic vest, but Roach featured himself with his long-range, wide-area, non-lethal taser weapon which is attached to an anti-plasma/ ballistic shield. He also has an access to a millimetre-wave Active Denial System.

This device won't kill its targets, but works well as a suppression device. Plus, if the situation calls for it, any enemy forces disabled by the taser, or ADS, can be taken out with lethal force.

The Enforcer's SLS Beta Knights levelled their weapons, aiming at every building that enemy forces might popped out.

**Roach**: Clear! Keep moving up!

Before they continue their advance, lines of charge bolts shot from nowhere.

**Roach: **Ambush! One o'clock!

Everyone got behind the building stone craps. They're sitting ducks from Chimera's unmanned _Hellfire_ Turrets that just popped out from nowhere. Ghost was kneeling beside Roach; his Spartan Laser gave a hint to Roach's tactic.

**Roach: **Hey! I'll cover you to take down those turrets.

Ghost nodded and took out his Spartan Laser from his back, leaving his KP12 on his belt.

**Ghost: **You bet! Let's do this.

Roach kneel down and raised his shield while Ghost positioned himself behind Roach's back. Counting to three, Ghost and Roach move out from the blocked stone. Roach tightened his muscle and hand, holding his shield against the Hellfire turrets attack.

With Ghost being covered, he fired his Spartan Laser at one of the Hellfire turrets. Four seconds of cooling and charging, he fired again at another turret on the top left. He could count three out of five of them left inside the front crumbled apartment building. Roach felt little multiple impacts on his shield, so he advances as Ghost fire his Spartan Laser again to the turret from the middle opening wall.

**Captain Soap: **Everyone move!

The Beta Knights run to Ghost and Roach, with two Hellfire turrets left. Roach pushed his leg to maximum speed once no felt no resistances on his shield. Ghost followed his back, and both of them end up a side entrance that building.

**Captain Soap: **Knights! Switch to night vision now!

The knights turned on their night vision with a force on their side button. Their eye-plates turned their normal eye view into green light, shining the dark shadows. Roach wrap his hand around the handle of his E2000 assault rifle, and proceed in with Ghost.

There was an opening wall that was smacked by unknown impact. The Beta Knights fired at will at the incoming LOKI droids, known as LOKI droids, inside the building at the far front. Lines red laser beamed from Beta Knights' rifles, perfect to aim and shoot down the droids.

After Roach had few types of ammunition left, he grabbed the trigger of his grenade launcher and squeeze to fire it. Chimeran Hybrids were there also, getting pinned down by Soap and Ghost while trying to aid the droids.

More laser lines were pointed from the west side of the battlefield; the EU forces showed up. Roach reload his magazine, while Rankin fired his FMS HG2 battle rifle. The battlefield had become less tight, until a rain of charge bolts come down from the _Hellfire_ turrets. Captain Soap ran out with Roach and his teammates tailgating him. He guided them the right side entrance, and stopped to turn to his team.

**EU solider (O.S.): **We got turrets from the second floor!

**Captain Soap**: Rankin, Roach and Ghost head upstairs. We'll cover this entrance. Go!

Ghost went inside, and Roach and Rankin followed him. Roach saw Ghost walked up the stairs, and almost collided against a Chimeran Hybrid. Ghost melee the Hybrid with his combat knife, stabbed through the Hybrid's stomach and pushed down.

Making their way up the second floor, Ghost found the entrance, but several LOKI droids and two Brute majors blocked their way. Roach ran to Ghost and joined the fight, throwing a frag-grenade and shield himself from enemy fire. The grenade exploded; weaken the Brute's energy shield.

Ghost groaned as he got a single hit from a Brute's Spiker carbine. Roach covered him with his shield; he hit the trigger of the shield's handle and its ADS fired thick blue beam strike on the two Brutes. It first depleted their shields and then got parlayed. Rankin showed in time and took the Brutes out.

**Roach: **You're alright Ghost.

**Ghost: **I'm hurt, but I can still stand. Just keep moving.

Roach continued arming his shield and wielding his reloaded E2000 with his right hand. He got Rankin behind, shooting his battle rifle in every LOKI droids' monitor heads.

Two flash-light heads appeared, known as the Geths. Roach fired his ballistic shield's blue laser, and the laser cross two Geth fighters. The Geths were disabled and shut down before Rankin finished them off.

**Roach: **Get the turrets offline.

They found huge egg-shaped unmanned turrets firing down. They found each of the turret's switches, and they flick the switch off. The Hellfire turrets stopped.

**General Stephen (O.S.): **Be advised, more enemy troops are converging on the tank. Get there A.S.A.P!

**Captain Soap (O.S.): **Roger that! We're working on it - out!

Slide walking could be heard behind Roach's ears, and he turned around. Ghost, with his hand covering his wound, twisted his body and tilt his head, telling them to grab his Spartan Laser.

**Ghost: **You guys go ahead and take my Spartan Laser; I'll catch you guys later.

**Rankin: **(taking the Spartan Laser from Ghost) Hope you're still alive. Roach, lead the way.

Roach nodded to him, and both of them head back to the ground floor. They made their way out as the fight continues between the EU and the Trade Empire army. They later joined up with Soap, Gaz, and Harris, fighting the twin Chimeran Ravagers with their Force Barrier activated.

**Captain Soap: **Need help here men!

With the distraction of Soap and Roach, Rankin fired Ghost's Spartan Laser with a flash of red beam, and moved the laser to cut through the Ravagers. The barriers were destroyed and the Ravagers were killed in split seconds.

**Rankin: **Take that sucka!

**Captain Soap: **Knights! The tank's on the other side of that overpass! Come on - let's get back to the squad!

The Beta Knights made their way through the slums underneath an overpass road bridge, and had reached the stranded Panther 1A3 main battle tank. Its main rail gun is of German design; its targeting system is French; its power plant is Austrian; its gearbox is Italian; its body tank design is Israeli. Its high-speed automatic loading system made Panther A13 one of the fastest –firing tanks in the United Nations.

Sergeant Gordon and his Atlantis Expedition Team were near the Panther 1A3, while the EU forces aid them from overwhelming attacks.

**Captain Soap**: Atlantis, what's your status, over?

**Sergeant Gordon (O.S.): **We're still surrounded Sir! There's just the four of us left but the tank's still OK, over.

**Captain Soap: **We're here right now; keep fighting!

The Beta Knight finally ganged up with the Atlantis Expedition Team and the tank. Bunches of Chimerans, Brutes, and LOKI droids charged from the east and the south of the Panther tank.

**Captain Soap**: Contacts to the east and more flanking to the south! Hold the perimeter!

Everyone around the tank opened fire their rounds of bullets. Captain Soap threw a Chimeran Hedgehog grenade on to the group of Chimeran Hybrids. The grenade extended its size, releasing long sharp needles around it. It ignited by launching all its needles and sprayed on the Hybrids.

As groups of enemies got closer and closer, Roach continued using his ADS ballistic shield non-lethal beaming attack on the Brute in order to disable their shields and their body. Few paralyzed Brutes were later been slaughtered by Panther 1A3's coaxial system.

**Captain Soap (O.S.): **They're movin' in with det-packs! Don't let 'em get close to the tank!

Gaz, with his FMS battle rifle and its Masterkey shotgun, saw several LOKI droids and a single Geth carrying their charge devices towards the Panther tank. He charged and tossed his frag-grenade into the middle. The grenade explosion, destroying the LOKI droids, but the Geth survived. Gaz ran to the Geth soldier with his Masterkey shotgun and fired its spraying of shell through its hull body.

**Gaz: **Take that light face!

The Geth went down and its light zapped off.

**General Stephen (O.S.)**: Beta Knights, be advised. Two tangos have assembled to the west of your position, over.

**Captain Soap: **Two of them?

Coming from the west, two large-sized bone-structure mechas appeared. They're similar as the LOKI droids, with their featured right arm mass-accelerator cannon, and left arm rocket launcher.

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon (O.S.): **Incoming! YMIR droids inbound!

Rankin armed his Spartan Laser and fired at them. When the line of laser impacted one of the YMIR droids however, it was bounded off on its heavy shield barrier.

**Rankin: **Darn, they have shields.

Everyone hates shield enemies, especially they don't have one either. The Beta Knights and the Atlantis Team concentrate their grenade launchers on the YMIR droids. One of the YMIRs fired its rocket launcher, but the Panther 1A3 moved just in time.

The Panther's turret target on the fast moving YMIR droid, and once locked down, it fired its rail accelerating bullet on the YMIR. The YMIR's shield vanished and then got blown into pieces of robotic bones.

**Harris, with E2000, w/Thermal Sight and grenade launcher: **Yes! Now the last one!

Corporal Rankin, carelessly firing his Spartan Laser, got caught by the YMIR's mass-accelerating cannon as plasma energy burned both his armour and skin. His painful death made he cried and collapsed him down.

**Roach: **Rankin!

Roach ran to the fallen solider, but the YMIR jumped in front of him, crush the Spartan Laser. The YMIR marched towards him, forcing him to flee but couldn't. He's gonna take a stand and raised his shield to unleash his ADS's blue rod of lighting.

Before the YMIR droid give Roach a massive smacked like a baseball, Roach fired his shield laser and its non-lethal energy, without question, unbelievably drain its energy shield before going off-line. The giant droid fall backward into the dark soil.

**Roach: **I...I did it.

**Captain Soap**: Command, the first wave is down.

_**Continued to Part 2**_


	8. Chapter 5: The Capitol Part 2

_**...continued from Chapter 5 part one**_

**General Stephen (O.S.): **Roger that Beta Knight. Good work. Your job now is to get to the Capitol Palace. We believe the queen has been held there. Proceed there and when you find the queen, hold the palace until we can reinforce it.

**Captain Soap: **Yes sir.

**General Stephen (O.S.): **"Dragon-Wolf" will lead you there. Out.

Roach looked at the dead Rankin with his FMS battle rifle on his hand. He search through and took off Rankin's dog-tag. Captain Soap showed up beside him, placing his hand on Roach's left shoulder.

**Captain Soap: **He's a good soldier Roach. Let's get moving.

Roach nodded very tight and sniffed, with his small droplets of tears fallen from his eyes. The Panther 1A3 advanced into the city ruins, firing its high-power micro-waved emitter mounted on the top.

Ghost, in good condition with his badge-tape around his stomach, arrived along with the EU soldiers. He ganged up with Roach while taking cover behind the building from Hellfire turrets.

**Ghost: **Hey, glad that Dragon-Wolf is moving. Where's my Spartan Laser.

**Roach: **Ummm...It's crushed.

**Ghost: **What?

**Roach: **Rankin was KIA by the YMIR droids.

Ghost shook his head and then nods.

**EU soldier**: Enemy air assault! Get ready! They're moving on both our flanks!

Two Chimeran dropships hovered in the air and made their flight to the flanks.

**Ghost: **Bloody hell; without my Spartan Laser...

Three Chimeran Hybrids, killed by EU soldiers, had collapsed from the roofs; one of them has a Pulse Cannon. Ghost look down at it, and picked it up immediately.

**Ghost: **Beautiful; this is perfect.

Ghost ran out without caution, arming his Pulse Cannon at a single Chimeran dropship and fired at it. A plasmatic pulse traveled in a speed of light, enough to gave its stronger impact on the dropship's hull. A single hit brought the dropship down.

**EU soldier (O.S.)**: Right Flaaaank! They're moving in on the right flank!

Ghost however has to wait for three sound beats to charge the Pulse Cannon. It's a normal behavior for most rechargeable weapons. Once charged. He fired and finish off the last dropship, and watched the spinning dropship crashed into the buildings.

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.)**: Uh, Beta Knight we have a possible ambush area up front. We'll uh, move up when you've cleared the area ahead of us, over.

**Captain Soap (O.S.): **Watch for silhouettes on the rooftops!

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.)**: Everyone, stand clear! We're gonna get some rounds into those buildings!

**Harris (O.S.): **Let me helped you Dragon-Wolf.

Harris found a Hellfire turret installed on the 2nd floor of the right side building.

**Harris (O.S.)**: Gunner, two story building, second floor, right side!

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.)**: I'm on it.

**Harris (O.S.)**: Open fire!

Dragon-Wolf used its main cannon, and killed the Hellfire turret in a single blow. Harris spotted another Hellfire turret on the left.

**Harris (O.S.)**: Turret, three story building, second floor, left side!

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.)**: I see him.

**Harris (O.S.)**: Open fire!

Dragon-Wolf blew up the other Hellfire turret. Harris could see no more turrets blocking their path.

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.)**: Bravo Six, we're moving up.

**Captain Soap (O.S.)**: Roger that!

The whole convoy marched through the streets of ruins, advancing with for the Capitol Palace. Dozens of Chimerans and TOKI droids were always on the roofs and interior buildings with their heavy weapons. With that, it would take minutes to dig through the enemy territory.

A kilometre from the Capitol Palace, the Beta Knights got a radio message from Captain Dea'lc.

**Captain Dea'lc (O.S.): **Atlantis, we reached our Capitol but we got fostial armi merging to our positions.

Fostial armi means hostile forces.

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon (O.S.): **Hang in there, we're on our way! Guys we got to keep moving ASAP.

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.): **Uh Atlantis, we had EU forces need-for-support right ahead. They're ambushed.

The whole convoy took few metres to the EU forces' positions, where a Chimeran Hybrids and Hardfangs, with their Arc Charge weapon, and TOKI droids fired at them.

**Captain Soap: **Squad, let's clear them out. Use flashbang!

The Beta Knights all together throw their flashbangs at the same time. Flashes of light only blind the Chimerans, leaving them perfect targets for some EU forces. The Atlantis Expedition Team later all threw frag-grenades to finish off the TOKI droids and the rest.

**EU soldier (O.S.)**: Guys take cover, enemy tank moving up the road!

Roach and Captain Soap's Beta Knights saw a Covenant _Wraith_ Assault Carriage coming behind the buildings on the left side ahead.

**Captain Soap: **Squad! Follow me!

Beta Knights and the Atlantis Team ran as hard as their maximum before t Wraith's plasma ball arced down on them. They made it behind the building, and escaped the Wraith's blast. Roach felt his heart pounding and tasted his blood from his mouth after his big run.

**Captain Soap**: Dragon-Wolf, Beta Knight! Wraith tank behind the building at your ten o' clock! Can you engage, over!

**Dragon-Wolf**: Roger that Beta Knight, I got him on thermal, switching to Manual.

The Dragon-Wolf turned its main gun ten o'clock and pointed at the wall where the Wraith was.

**Dragon-Wolf**: Takin' the shot.

Dragon-Wolf fired through a steel door and wall, and hits the enemy tank's cockpit. Its loading system fastened up, and Dragon-Wolf fired again burning down the Wraith.

**EU soldier 2**: Woo! Yeah! Woo! Yeah!

**EU soldier 3**: Ma Ma Me Ya! Did you see that?!

**EU soldier 4**: That's what I'm talking about, ladies!

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.): **Dragon-Wolf coming through.

Dragon-Wolf turned along the left edge corner, but found itself blocked by the destroyed Wraith.

**Dragon-Wolf (O.S.): **Uhh, Beta Knight, you guys made us stop. You're on your own.

**Roach: **Sorry about that!

Beta Knight and the Atlantis Expedition Team continued on foot, as the rest of the EU forces joined their group. Few minutes up, they made it to the large luxurious palace. It's very huge and had a man-made river and garden spots surround it. Captain Dea'lc and his men were at the front with the other EU forces, holding off enemies.

**Captain Soap: **Let's get them!

They threw flashbangs, threw grenades, and threw bullets on the Chimeran/TOKI forces. Cheetah gunships appeared from above, raining the remaining enemy forces with minigun and multiple rockets.

With the whole area cleared, Captain Soap and Sergeant Gordon moved up to Captain Dea'lc with his survived men, armed with TOKI droid's pulse rifles.

**Captain Dea'lc: **Soap, Gordon, our Majesti was inside; be careful those guards inside.

**Captain Soap: **You'll have to come with us so we can rescue her effectively...Someone knocked that gate.

Roach, Gaz, and Harris crossed the stone bridge, and ran up the exterior stair hill. The gate was two and a half metres high as they walked up closer to it. Roach shook his head and call up for the Cheetah gunship pilot.

**Roach: **Cheetahs, someone get the gate down for us.

**Cheetah pilot: **Roger that, get back for missile strike.

The Cheetah gunship positioned itself low and focused the pilot's target on the gate. Roach, Gaz, and Harris retreated from the gate, and made a safe duck on the garden platform. The Cheetah launched its single anti-tank missile, and it flew and smashed into the gate.

**Captain Soap (O.S.): **Go! Go! Go!

Team of Soap, Gordon, and Dea'lc charged into the Capitol Palace. Once got in, they aimed around the unpredictable hall. Columns lined up along the red carpet with flags of the Trade Empire hanged. Walls on both sides had painted windows while the second floor has an opening wall against the columns.

**Captain Dea'lc: **Stead forward.

Then, an ambush of patrol drones dived from the second floor. Roach covered himself with his shield, while his team fired above.

**Captain Soap: **Hostile on the second floor!

As the number of drones was almost been outnumbered, TOKI droids fired their pulse rifles from above.

**Ghost: **Guys, hide behind the columns.

Few TOKI droids drop some Hedgehog grenades, but human forces took cover. Three Hedgehog grenades formed into spikes and then splash them against the whole surface.

Roach sniped the TOKI droids with his E2000 assault rifle as all of his Beta Team and their allies did the same. As they get close to clearing the hostiles off, four Chimeran Slipskulls come out from the second floor, cling walls and ceilings. Those Slipskulls were fast moving specialist, and they take pot-shots and make blind-siding attacks rather than face their opponents directly.

As Slipskulls jumped everywhere, they fired and pin Captain Dea'lc's men with their sub _Reaper_ carbines. Roach was tired of facing those frog-jumping Chimerans; he faced them several times before without getting killed.

Harris spotted a Chimeran Slipskull on the left column, and he immediately sniped him with his E2000's thermal sight. Roach saw a Chimeran Slipskull above Harris' head. He shot the Slipskull down right before his Reaper carbine's laser sight beamed on Harris head.

**Harris: **Thanks Roach.

For the Atlantis Expedition Team, they were very skilled on this fight; no trouble of taking to the two remaining Slipskulls.

**Captain Dea'lc: **Men, we must get to the Majesti!

Before the Beta Knights made it to the front stairs however, a Brute Chieftain, in red ornate/black power armour, jumped from the left stair. They fall back, since the Brute Chieftain was wield with his Gravity hammer.

**Gaz: **Look out! Brute Chieftain!

Rush with reckless, the Brute Chieftain smash the remaining of Captain Dea'lc's men. The Atlantis Expedition Team started penetrating Chieftain's power armour with their flaming P190s. Surrounded with white light, the Chieftain became merciless and rush to them.

**Atlantis Sergeant Gordon: **Oh shit!

Gordon's two teammates were smacked with a Gravity Hammer hit; he was pushed by his fallen teammate, dropping his P190 PDW. Gordon grabbed and fire his handgun at the Chieftain, despite his power armour.

Giving out his glorious roar, the Brute Chieftain stomp to Gordon; before his Gravity Hammer falls on to Gordon's life, his power armour suddenly got depleted. Roach's shield's non-lethal energy banged and disabled the Chieftain and got ride by Captain Soap on his back.

Soap stabbed the Chieftain's neck with combat knife, choking and gurgling. The Brute Chieftain finally collapsed dead on the marble floor.

**Captain Soap: ** He's down...everyone head upstairs. Go! Go! Go!

The Beta Team, Gordon and Dea'lc ran up to the second floor. They floor the double doors where the queen was behind it.

**Captain Soap: ** Get a breach on the door.

**Ghost: **Breaching.

Ghost slammed his charge device against the door, and everyone took cover. A single bang, they charge through the smoke. Harris, with his Thermal Sight, gave himself a great advantage as he sniped three TOKI droids.

The smoke from the breaching died down. The whole room was nothing but a huge place for the queen's chair. Columns, windows, no queen.

**Captain Dea'lc: **No! Our Majesti must have been trenport.

**Captain Soap: **Damn it.


	9. Chapter 6: Halo

General Overlord watched the screen surface of the holographic table with Serina, examining their _SOCOM-class _stealth ship, _Set and Dawn,_ tail gating the Covenant Assault Carrier through the Slipstream Array.

**Ship Operation Officer: **Sir; we're existing out the slipstream space.

**Overlord: **Good.

**Serina: **General; Dare's Team and the Hunter-Two One Rangers are set to go.

**Overlord: **They should be ready to counter the Covenant forces before they could retrieve the Forerunner ACS Module. If we fail, they'll have what it takes to invade Earth without warning.

**Serina: **But how do know if they located Earth.

Overload thinks for a moment. Serina was right; he couldn't tell if the Covenant or the Chimera have discovered Earth yet. He hoped it wouldn't happen this time.

**Ship Operation Officer: **Existing in three...two...one.

The Covenant Assault Carrier, with _Set and Dawn_ behind it, jumped out from the slipstream gate out to space. Overlord and the crew brace for physical force of the ship's resisting speed. Overlord holds on to the bar handle as he lurched back and grunt.

**Overlord: **Report!

**Ship Operations Officer**: Both engine cores have spun to zero. We're drifting.

**Weapons Officer**: "Archer pods are cold. I'll need to re-key the system."

**Overlord**: Do it, and find out where we are.

Overlord pan over to Dare and Sergeant Buck at the Forerunner made teleporter station. That was where they will be deployed from, for fast drop before their special operation mission.

**Overlord (COM)**: "Sorry for the quick jump, Dare. You in one piece?"

**Captain Dare (COM)**: "We're good. Foley?"

**Sergeant**** Buck (COM): **"We're fine."

**Communications Officer**: Ma'am, there's an object. Coming into view now.

Looking through the bridge view, the Covenant Assault Carrier made its way to a large ring shape structure. The structure had its outer hull surface, while it strangely featured an Earth-like surface. There were vegetation, cold tundra, and ocean patterns painted in the inner surface of the ring.

**Serina: Oh...My...God**

**Overlord: **Are you getting this Serina?

**Serina: **Yes sir; I'm measured that that ring structure is 10,000 kilometre diametre. It's amazing. It's life support containment.

**Overlord: **Did the Forerunners built this damn thing?

**Serina: **I could confirm it is.

**Overlord: **Getting that view to the team. Where's our target going?

**Communications Officer**: The enemy ship has stopped above the ring, sir. We're going to pass right over it.

**Overlord: **Perfect. Get our team ready for drop. We got to destroy that ACS Module before it is ready for use...Serina, you know what to do.

**Serina: **Roger that.

Serina collapsed into the screen, making her way to integrated into Captain Dare's helmet.

**Halo**

**Day (2) – 14:06**

**Unknown Colonial Station**__**(Unknown System)**

**Lance Corporal 'Rookie' Samuel **

**145****th**** Orbital Drop Shock Troopers**

Rookie gets his suppressed Cheyenne Tac. Anti-material sniper rifle and his suppressed P190 PDW ready, while him and Dare's ODST Team wait at the platform of the Forerunner Teleporter Station. Captain Dare unplugged a cable from the Teleporter Officer's control installation, where Serina traveled through. She got back on the platform and gets prepared for teleportation. Rangers were waiting for their turn outside of the teleporting station.

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **I'll see you when we regroup together. Hope the oxygen level fits well.

**Captain Dare, with ACR, w/ Holographic Sight and Sniper Barrel: **It fits well. Am I right Serina?

**Serina (O.S.): **According to the ring's environment, its oxygen level is five percent similar to Earth's counterpart. No need for oxygen tank.

**Mickey, with SCAR, w/ Red Dot Sight and grenade launcher: **Good, because I hate carrying that damn thing.

Everyone positioned themselves straight when three blinking beats echo the whole room.

**Teleporter Officer: **Teleporting stand by...Now!

Swirls of white light surround the ODSTs, blinding their faceplate completely. In a few seconds, the view of white light collapsed. Dare, Buck, Mickey, Romeo, Dutch, and Rookie were now in the middle of the rocky hills. The whole place was decorated with green vegetation and ruins of the ring structure, shined by a sun from blue sky.

**Captain Dare: **Amazing...Let's get going guys.

**Serina (O.S.): **The ACS Module was dropped at 170 degrees northwest from your position; its guard by Covenant troops.

**Sergeant Buck, with SCAR, w/ ACOG Sight and sniper barrel: **Filed all the Covenant stats?

**Serina (O.S.): **Affirmative. All organized and set.

They walked up the brushy hills, and halted at the tip of it. Looking down below, small Covenant infantries, from squeaky-talk/gas container beings and humanoid vultures with their own force barriers guard the temple laid against the western hill side. They got manned turrets installed over old buildings and hills.

**Serina (O.S.): **There are small Grunts and Jackal birds scattering around here. Recommend you sniper the turret operators first.

**Romeo, with suppressed Cheyenne Tac. Anti-material sniper rifle: **Rookie, sniping time.

Rookie nodded. Romeo and Rookie snake up to the other side of the hill where some green bushes covered them. They adjust their scope and lock on the Grunts, operating the energy barrier turrets.

**Romeo: **Let's snipe them at the same time. Take out the gunner on the right, while I'll take the left- Your call.

**Rookie: **Got it.

Rookie took a big breath and hold as a way to steady his sniper rifle's cross-hair on the enemy. His heart started pounding, as he count to three before fire. On his mark, he pulled the trigger and the suppressed noise peak. Both Romeo and Rookie hit the Grunts in the head.

**Dare (O.S.): **Nice one guys.

**Serina (O.S.): **Jackal snipers on the second floor of the west ruins. Take them out.

Romeo and Rookie turn their scope target towards the unshielded Jackals with long purple Beam Rifles.

**Romeo: **Same thing Rookie.

They positioned on the Jackals' head. Rookie gasped slowly and breathed in again before fire. On three, Romeo and Rookie sniped out the two Jackal snipers at the same time.

**Serina (O.S.): **Beautiful guys. Keep it up on sniping the ground forces.

Romeo and Rookie recommended themselves to snipe the gas-masked Grunts and shield wield Jackals along the hills dipping east to the cliff. Rookie shouldn't hit the Jackal's shield, or else it will bring an alarm for reinforcements. After their last double sniping on the useless Grunts, the whole area was secured.

**Serina (O.S.): **Well done guys. Let's move.

Romeo and Rookie cautiously stood up and regroup with Dare's team before they took off. Tackling along the tall stones, they came to a large view where a large strip of topographic Earth-related surface stretched up to the sky.

**Serina (O.S.): **The ACS Module should be right...at that island.

They stared at the tower standing on the ocean waters. Two floating structures passed along each other crossing between the tower and the main land. Before they could continue, several tall reptilians, red and blue armours, monitors around inside the ruins that lead to through the where the floating structured stop by.

**Serina (O.S.): **Those eight-foot tall Elites have personal energy shields. They're rechargeable, so don't miss them.

**Romeo: **Got it. Let's snipe them Rookie.

Rookie and Romeo get into their sniping positions behind the bulkiest vegetation they could find. Adjusted and aimed, they made their target up to the top roof with two Jackal snipers and single minor Elite.

**Rookie: **I'll take down the Elite, you bang the Jackals.

**Romeo: **Sure thing; but don't get that guy near the roof edge.

If snipe that guy could tilt it off the roof and fell to the floor, it will shock the ground forces and set an alarm. Took a cold breath and wait for the Elite to walk away from the roof, he pulled the trigger and fired on it. The Elite's shield flashed and depleted, and Rookie snipe again until the Elite was killed.

**Romeo: **Nail it.

Romeo sniped out the two Jackals before they could react. Their target moves down for the two Elites. They quickly reload and left their empty magazine on their side. Two Elites on the second floor of the ruins were both snipe by Romeo and Rookie, and then the sleeping Grunts.

Then the hard part; few four Elites and many Grunts wondered around the ruins. Rookie and Romeo now find hard to snip the Elites without being realized.

**Sergeant Foley (O.S.): **This is Hunter-Two One, we're on the surface.

**Serina (O.S.): **Serina here. Where are you now?

**Foley (O.S.): **We suppose to regroup at the ruin near the gondola port right?

**Serina (O.S.): **Affirmative, but we have an Elite problem going on.

**Foley (O.S.): **We're on it.

Rookie and Romeo waited for the Rangers for sniping assistances. Then, two Covenant dropships, _Phantoms actually, _dive from the north-western sky. It hovered over the ruins, and dropped off Grunts, Elites, and two giant Hunters.

**Rookie: **Shit. They're going to discover the bodies.

**Serina (O.S.): **Cross your fingers guys. You better think fast also.

It's too late however. One of the Elites of dead bodies, and they're about to call in. Rookie, without thinking, pulls the trigger and snipe on the back of the Hunter's orange flesh. He killed it, but set an alarm for all the hostile forces on the ground.

**Dare: **Shit...Bring some noise men!

Captain Dare and Sergeant Buck used their Sniper Barrels, and snipe from the hills. Their barrels made a loud echo, taking multiple shots on the Elites. Grunts ran away with their Plasma Pistols and Needlers. Rookie saw the Hunter about to fire its deadly cannon, so he tried to snipe on its flesh.

Sniping rounds was shot from the other side of the hills, taking down the tough units. The Rangers had finally showed up. Two ghillie suit marksman Rangers finished off the Grunts, and the other one took down the Hunter.

After minutes of cleansing, the ODST ran down the hills to gang up the Rangers.

**Foley, with SCAR, w/ACOG Sight and Sniper Barrel: **You guys alright?

**Serina (O.S.): **We're fine, thanks for help. Let's get to the ACS Module ASAP. They know we're here.

They were blue Plasma rifles Rookie want to try out, so he picked one of them up. Ghillie suit Marksman separated to the hills for sniping support positions. Dare and Foley were at the front to get a glimpse of the perfect-stand temple. They could see Jackal snipers hanging around the rooftops.

**Dare: **Ok...Rookie do the silence snipe on the Jackals on the rooftop.

**Rookie: **Yes sir.

Rookie kneel his right leg and steady his anti-material sniper rifle with a small breath. He pinned the Jackal in the head on the left side, and then stealthy sniped the other on the right.

**Rookie: **Clear.

Dare, Mickey, Dutch, and Romeo stepped out while aiming around with their PDWs. Foley's Rangers (McCord, James, Cpl. Dunn, and Morgan) get to see what the temple looks like.

**James Ramirez, with ACR, with Holographic Sight and Masterkey Shotgun: **Wow, ho, ho...That's massive.

When they all about to walk down to the temple door, swarms of Drones came out from opposite side of edge, and rained on them with Plasma pistols.

**Foley: **Incoming!

They fired up in the air, despite the speed of the Drones. Rookie switched to Plasma Rifle, and hit the closet Drones he could duel with. His flying plasma droplets gave him a hint about the Plasma Rifle's effective on close-quarter-combat and medium range.

**Cpl. Dunn, with ACR, w/ Red Dot Sight and Masterkey shotgun: **Take that bug head!

Cpl. Dunn fired his Masterkey shotgun against the twin Drones and both got shot down in a single blast shell. Few ghillie snipers snipe the Drones that took a break on the side walls.

Once all of the drones were pinned down, Captain Dare and Sergeant Foley lead them inside the Temple.

**Dare: **On our go.

The Temple's door slide upward, and Captain Dare and Sergeant Foley carefully proceed in from the opposite sides. Rookie and Mickey got in second, slowly and quite.

**Foley: **Crap.

Dare and Foley suddenly throw flash-bang and took cover. It flashed, and they charged in and fire it up. When Rookie and Mickey joined the ambush, sliver (Ultra) Elite was right in front of Rookie with his twin blade energy sword. The Ultra Elite chased Rookie as he ran for his life.

During the fight with the other three Ultra Elites, Rookie couldn't stand of being chase. He twisted his body around and started depleting the Ultra Elite's energy shield with his Plasma Rifle. The Ultra Elite's energy shield glowed bright as plasma bolts weaken it.

Rookie suddenly tipped himself off to the ground, while he kept bursting his Plasma Rifle on the Ultra Elite. Before the Ultra Elite flee off to avoid complete shield depletion, James showed up with his Masterkey shotgun under his ACR. The Ultra Elite's shield was destroyed; the Elite made a cry of vengeance and charged to James fleeing from him.

James fell off over the stone. He turned over until his eyes are on the Ultra Elite's sword. He prepared his strike on James with his mighty blow. A bullet strike struck through the Ultra Elite's armour, and it grunt and then collapsed sideways. The shot was from Rookie's anti-material rifle in his laying position.

**James Ramirez: **Thanks dude.

Rookie stood up and smooth off the dust.

**Rookie: **No problem James.

With Dare, Buck, Foley's assault rifles' sniping barrel, they neutralize all the Ultra Elites guarding the inner Temple. There's one thing they forgot though; a hologram installation with in the middle of the Temple, imaging a mammal, long-neck alien with its holy clothing.


	10. Chapter 7: Death Trap

Captain Dare and Rookie were about to walk past a hologram of unknown alien chanting a sermon.

**Serina (O.S.)**: Wait, go back. Place your hand there.

Wihtout question, Dare placed his hand on the holo-projector, and Serina appeared from the projector. She flicked her fingers to pause the holo-projector.

**Serina**: I heard what he said. The Covenant called him the Prophet of Regret. He said he's planning to activate Halo.

**Captain Dare**: Halo?

Serina snapped her fingers to start the hologram. In a single snap, the Covenant language translated into English while the alien spoke the exact tone he spoke.

**Prophet of Regret (Hologram)**: I shall light this holy ring, release its cleansing flame, and burn a path into the divine beyond!

Serina snapped her fingers again, and the hologram freezes.

**Serina**: _(smugly)_ Pretty much. Worse is, they using this ring to fire on Earth!

Everyone stopped and paused. So this ring is a weapon?

**Captain Dare**: Overlord, we've got a problem.

**Overlord**** (COM)**: So I hear...I need to know what that Halo ring is for.

**Serina: **One moment, sir; hacking into the Covenant database.

The ODSTs and the Rangers wait patiently for Serina's answers. Rookie thinks about the Chimera and the Covenant they're facing right now. He first wondered if that Prophet, and probably more than that, was the first one to establish this kind of religion. If so, the Covenant was under Prophet's leadership, on a quest for Forerunner artifacts.

And what about the Chimera who first assault on humanity? If Chimera and Brutes were part of the Covenant, why they're the first ones to invade?

**Serina: **I got it.

Everyone pause for attention.

**Serina: **According to the data in their networks, the ring has some kind of deep religious significance. If I'm analyzing this correctly, they believe that Halo is some kind of weapon. One with vast, unimaginable power... Elites, Brutes, Chimeras, and other races must have ban together because of that purpose.

**Overlord (O.S.): **And it's true... The Covenant kept saying that whoever controls Halo controls the fate of the universe.

**Serina: **Now I see...I have intercepted a number of messages about a Covenant search team, scouting for a control room, known as the Centre. They're looking for it to activate it.

**Overlord**: That's bad news. If Halo is a weapon, and the Covenant gain control of it, they'll use it against us and wipe out the entire human race...Serina, Dare. After you finish this mission, I will order Dare. After you finish this mission, I will order you guys to find the Centre before the Covenant can retrieve it.

**Dare: **Yes sir.

Captain Dare placed her hand on the Holo-projector to get Serina back into her armour.

**Death Trap**

**Day (2) – 14:29**

**Halo **_**(**_**Unknown System)**

**Lance Corporal 'Rookie' Samuel **

**145****th**** Orbital Drop Shock Troopers**

**Sergeant Foley: **God dam it. I thought this is supposed to be a famous space colony.

**Morgan, with AA-12 assault shotgun and Javelin Anti-Tank missile launcher: **So why did the Forerunner create Earth-like environments.

**Captain Dare: **I don't know.

Sudden shouts came from outside. Several doors on the north opened, and Drones and the single major Elite charged. Rookie chased the Elite with his Plasma firing. He kept holding the trigger of the plasma rifle, until his rifle firing stopped and the whole burned blue hot. He dropped his plasma rifle, feeling the pain on his burning hands.

**Captain Dare: **Rook...

Dare finished off the Major Elite with her sniper-barrel attached ACR, and ran approached Rookie looking down his damaged hand steamed with smoke.

**Captain Dare: **Are you alright?

**Rookie: **_(Head shake) _Shit! What the heck just happened!?

The Drones were completely neutralized after their careless fight.

**Dutch, with M60 pump-action shotgun and SPRNK rocket: **What happened to him?

Buck looked down at blue smoking plasma rifle as it cools down with hatches closed.

**Sergeant Buck: **Seems that the plasma rifle looked unstabled while in continuous fire.

**Rookie: **I'm fine right now. Let's keep moving.

They proceed outside to new halls of ruins, infested by Covenant ground forces. The 75th Rangers and the 145th ODST fought mostly Grunts and few Elites. There were also Jackal snipers two o'clock from their position.

**Serina (O.S.): ** You know, I think the Forerunners built these new structures around the old, to protect them, to honor them. I'd need to make a thorough survey to be sure... I wish I had more time to decipher these inscriptions. The Forerunners revere this place that much is clear. But was it a temple, or a university... I can't say.

**Mickey (O.S.), with AA-12 Assault shotgun and Javelin missile launcher: **Well forget about that. Why the hell they consider this Halo ring as a weapon?

**Serina (O.S.): **I don't know. Massive Historical War I believe.

A massive war? Against who? After ambushing Grunts and shield Jackals to doom on the next interior structure, Mickey found pink crystal hair gun on the floor, which was actually a Needler. He picked it up, and decided to give it to Rookie.

**Mickey: **Here dude. He should have this.

Rookie became aware of that Needler. He's not sure if that small arm weapon would cause burns, just like the plasma rifle.

**Mickey: **Hey it's okay. It's not plasma; it's a projection weapon.

Rookie agreed with Mickey and accepted the gift from him. He picked up pinks shards as magazines. Dutch then gave a deployable Jackal shield wrist device he found after beat down the major Jackal.

**Dutch: **Have this also; snipers were freaking us out.

**Rookie: **Wow wait. I don't know how that thing works.

**Dutch: **Just tap a button on the top of the wrist, and the shield will be set.

ODSTs and Rangers came outside of the ruins, and again, they were sitting ducks by Jackal snipers. A gondola was docked out to the tower.

**Captain Dare: **We gonna need to take them out, grab a shield and the laser pointer.

Everyone activated their Jackal shields and turn on their laser designators. Rookie was satisfied with the orange Jackal shield, since orange was his favourite colour. They raised their shields and used their laser designator for exact target on hostile forces.

Jackal snipers kept shooting at the incoming Rangers and ODSTs while they get pin down by projection fire. As the Rangers and the ODSTS cross the ancient bridge, three Elites were waiting to show off with their Covenant carbines.

Flying crystals fired from Rookie's Needler, following the Elite on the left. Bunch of crystals fired stick on the Elite's energy shield and later exploded. Assault rifles, with their magnetic-accelerating sniper barrels, made their quick job on killing the Elites in seconds.

**Serina (O.S.): **A gondola's launching from the far towers. Big surprise, it's full of Covenant reinforcements.

With all the Elites killed, they secure the whole platform with the dock. They waited for the other gondola to arrive, with enemy reinforcements. Rookie could see two Elites and several grunts inside the gondola through his sniper rifle's scope.

**Serina (O.S.): **I sensing that the ACS Module was located from that tower. It should be there.

**Dare: **Are you sure?

**Serina (O.S.): **The signal is strong, so I'm sure it should be there.

**Buck: **Hey guys. The gondola is coming.

The gondola docked in front of the temple, and Elites and Grunts exist out and attack. Few of the Ranger fired grenade launchers so they could finish off the fight quickly and board on the gondola. A success, Rangers hoped on the gondola with no idea how it works.

**Serina (O.S.): **Well, they were nice enough to bring us a ride.

**Cpl. Dunn: **"Alright, everyone aboard."

**James Ramirez**: I'll drive.

**Cpl. Dunn**: What's to drive? It comes here, it goes there.

Everyone was onboard, but no idea how to move the gondola. Rookie looked anywhere at the front. He found a geometric holographic panel. It should be the one. With a pressure of his hand on the panel, the whole gondola burped and started its motion to the tower.

**Sergeant Foley: **This is an interesting commuting.

Drones suddenly ambushed from nowhere, and started bugging them with plasma pistols. All of the Rangers and ODSTs scattered around. All Rookie could do was to shield himself with his Jackal shield, since his Needler couldn't track down the fasting-moving insects.

**Rookie: **Someone get those things off my way!

Mickey ran around, shooting down the Drones with his brutal assault shotgun. His high rate of fire allowed him to fire like a bursting assault rifle while using shell rounds. He quickly reloaded before more drones abused him with pistols.

A Drone landed right in front of Rookie. Rookie charged and banged the tired Drone with his Jackal shield. The banged Drone was later hit by Romeo's rounds of P190 PDW. Another Drone jumped on Rookie's back, freaked him out as he tried to get it off.

**Rookie: **Gesh man! They're everywhere.

Rookie finally got the Drone's arm, and he tossed it to the ground. Romeo finished off the Drone for him with a relief.

**Romeo: **Man. Tired of those buggers.

The whole gondola was silenced, no buzzing noise. Another gondola came on the other of it. It stopped by, deploying two Elites with jump packs and more annoying Drones. Great, this was Rookie's bad day.

Sergeant Foley and Dare used their sniper-barreled assault rifles, firing high-power rounds on their Elites, flying around. Jump-pack elites got their shield splashed and their armour were penetrated by high speed projections.

Two Jump-pack Elites were down, leaving few Drones to stand alone. The Drones instead fled away back to the tower.

**Rookie: **So, who prefer ground opponents instead?

Nobody answered, except Mickey.

**Mickey: **Well Rookie I could kickass both ground and air...Say, who nicknamed you "Rookie"?

**Romeo: **It was Captain Dare, Mickey Mouse.

**Serina (O.S.): **Cut the chatter guys. We're almost there. The signal is getting stronger.

Their gondola almost reached to the tower. The tower was containment with Covenant forces, waiting for ODST/Rangers' arrival.

**Sergeant Foley: **Get ready. It's gonna get hot.

The gondola's front made a touchdown and plasma cannon turrets from the towers rained on it. Dutch fired his SPRNK rocket launcher, lock-guided on the turret from the left side. Grenade launchers were fired on groups of Grunts, Jackals, and plasma turrets. More Grunts and Jackals came out of the tower.

**Serina (O.S.): **Heads up! Phantoms inbound!

Two Phantoms could be spotted from behind. Mickey and Morgan took off their Javelin Anti-Tank Missile launchers from their backs, and focus their target on the Phantoms. While bullets and plasma spark around, two Phantoms were locked on, and Mickey and Morgan fired. They watched the flying arched missiles strike on the Phantoms in one hit.

Jackals and Grunts fall back into the tower.

**Serina (O.S.): **It should be close, just get in.

**Captain Dare: **Right...let's get inside quickly.

ODSTs and Rangers charged up the stairs of the Tower towards its open entrance. With a stone wall in the middle, they split up for corner-checking. It was quiet, too quiet.

**Buck: ** Seems like the Covenant is about to surprise us with something.

**Captain Dare: **Whatever is,...I not going to like it.

Columns, stones, and Covenant containers we're checked.

**Serina (O.S.): **We're close, but I'm getting movements here. Recommend to switch VSIR.

The ODSTs switched their VSIRs, watching orange lines highlighting the edges of every object and wall. Rookie had faceplate turned on, and then he saw an orange line figure moving towards him. He quick-swap for his SOCOM handgun and fired several shots. The figure was knocked down, and liquid cloak melted into an Elite.

**Sergeant Foley: **Cloak Elites!

Mickey, Dutch, Romeo, Dare, Buck, and Rookie were the only ones who could see and shoot Stealth Elites haunting them. James, with no VSIR technology, just randomly fired everywhere just in time for a Stealth Elite to grab behind him with its energy garrote. Before James's neck gets choked with the Elite's two-cylinder garrote, the Stealth Elite was sniped by Dare's ACR.

**James: **Thanks Captain.

Dare nodded. She turned around with her active VISR, looking for any Stealth Elites that lurks them. Three Stealth Elites jumped in front them, and fired their plasma rifles. Rangers moved away from the pixie plasmas, and fired their assault rifles exactly where the plasmas were fired from.

Once the three Stealth Elites were eliminated, the ODSTs and the Rangers made their way to the finally door.

**Serina (O.S.): **Hold up; I'm detecting two large tangos waiting behind the walls. They're Hunters.

**Buck: **Got any plan guys?

**Rookie: **Flash bangs?

**Buck: **Sure thing.

**Dutch: **Once you guys flash bang them, I take them down with this.

Dutch get his SPRNK rocket launcher reloaded. Rookie and Buck stick up their flash bangs and get beside the doors against the walls. Both nodded, gesturing good to go. Both a step on near the door to automatically slide it upward and made a fast flash bang throw.

A bang of white flash was casted, and Rookie and Buck could hear low-pitch cow roar. Dutch pulled the trigger and launched the rocket through the open door. A smooth door shut, explosion erupted and shook the wall.

**Dare: **Ok, they should be dead by now.

Rookie and Buck precede to the opening door, and turn their VISR due to the fog of dust. Two huge figures were laid on the floor. The Hunters were neutralized.

**Serina (O.S.): **Keep going guys. It should be straight ahead.

ODSTs and Rangers ran ahead to where a stronger signature Serina could find. They ended up with a large Covenant container, standing three metres high.

**Serina (O.S.): **Dare, get your hand placed on the panel key so I decrypt the code.

Dare got her hand pressed on the Covenant key panel, and Serina got inside to decode the lock. She then zoomed back to Dare's armour.

**Serina (O.S.): **There. It's done.

The container opened up in plate formation. When the stacks of plates lifted up into the edges, Serina and the ODST/Rangers couldn't believe what they discovered. There was no ACS Module.

**Captain Dare: **What!?

**Sergeant Buck: **It's not there, but a database in the middle.

**Serina (O.S.): **No. The Covenant must have took it off before that database must have end up there.

**Captain Dare: **Overlord, this Dare. You're not going to like this. We found the source of the ACS Module, but the whole module wasn't there.

**Overlord (O.S.): **Impossible!

**Serina (O.S.): **Warning, the Assault Carrier was about to fire on our position. We need to get out of here now!

**Captain Dare: ** Come on, follow me.

Everyone evacuated from the Tower, meeting outside of the temple. Looking ahead, an Assault Carrier's purple beam under its belly beamed down hot. It got brighter and closer to their position.

**Sergeant Buck: **Sir! Get us beamed up!

Lights wrapped around each one of them, and everyone was beamed back on board. The ODSTs and the Rangers relaxed; it was a death trap.


End file.
